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The Land Transport Authority has called for proposals and views from the industry to implement a bicycle-sharing scheme in Singapore, in a bid to complement the public transport system by bridging first-mile/last-mile connections.
The agency has issued a Request for Information (RFI) - an open invitation for interested vendors to propose ideas for how the system scheme can be implemented successfully.
Parties interested in submitting proposals can access the RFI document on the Government Electronic Business (GeBiz) platform.
Proposals may include ideas about where bicycle rental facilities should be located, how much rental should be charged to commuters, sponsorship models and operating models.
Through the RFI, LTA will study how best bicycle-sharing can be implemented in Singapore.
The RFI will conclude by the fourth quarter of 2014, and LTA will call a tender to launch the bicycle-sharing pilot by end-2015.
There is no indication as to whether the plan will be discarded, if the RFI receives limited interest, or if proposals indicate that the plan is not feasible.
There is also no indication as to any precautions LTA might take to prevent issues with tenders, such as what happened in the National Parks Brompton bikes case.
LTA also noted that bicycle-sharing is an alternative mobility option that will facilitate cycling as a convenient and affordable means to make short trips. It envisioned a self-service public bicycle rental scheme with a network of bicycles in an area, where users may be charged a fee for short-term usage.
The bicycle sharing scheme is meant to be useful for cyclists who do not own bicycles, or prefer using shared bicycles for one-way trips.
Bicycle-sharing already exists in many cities such as Paris, London, New York, Melbourne and Taipei.
The proposed bicycle-sharing scheme is an effort under the Land Transport Master Plan 2013. Under the Plan, over 700 kilometres of cycling paths will be provided island-wide by 2030.
Image - Wikipedia, Papier K