Choose a bike! A successful development of a public bicycle system in functional urban area

The “Choose a bike!” project addressed the challenge of underdeveloped cycling infrastructure in the Split Urban Agglomeration and the broader need to promote sustainable forms of urban mobility to reduce traffic congestion and environmental impacts. The functional urban area was lacking an integrated network of bicycle routes, had insufficient accessibility of public bicycles, and was facing fragmented urban mobility practices.

The SUD strategy focused on creating a modern, integrated public bicycle system that would enable citizens and visitors to move easily, affordably, and sustainably across the cities and municipalities in the functional urban area. The main objectives were to establish a new public bicycle system, construct and mark bicycle routes, and prepare an analytical basis for the future development of an integrated cycling infrastructure network.

The City of Split managed the administration of the project and was responsible for the investment activities and equipping of the public bicycle system (as well as activities related to bicycle roads and routes in its territory), target groups’ needs research, organization of events and promotion of the project. In addition, the project implemented the principles of good management by rational selection and grouping of project team members into functional units, while ensuring efficient distribution of tasks and transparency, as well as responsibility in coordination, monitoring, and project results. 

The City of Split hired its own company, Split parking d.o.o., for the management of the public bike system in the city. Other partner local authorities (City of Trogir, City of Solin, City of Kaštela, Municipality of Dicmo, Municipality of Podstrana, Municipality of Klis, and Municipality of Dugopolje) hired the company Next bike to manage the public bike system in their areas.

The project's strong points include: wide inter-municipal cooperation (involving seven partners alongside the City of Split), a well-balanced offer of electric and classic bicycles adapted to different user needs, and a strategic distribution of stations based on a thorough needs assessment. Engaging local companies to manage the bicycle systems further strengthened the project's operational sustainability.

The results are substantial: 41 new bike-sharing stations were installed with a total of 242 bicycles (116 classic and 126 electric). Bicycle routes totaling 1.198 km were constructed and marked in the cities of Trogir and Split. The number of registered users far exceeded expectations, reaching 26,310 while the number of bicycle rentals soared over 295,000. 

The strategy achieved its objectives by combining infrastructure investments, equipment procurement, digital management solutions for the bike-sharing system, and extensive promotional activities. Accessibility was ensured throughout the agglomeration area, facilitating better connections between local communities and offering a viable alternative to car use.

Enabling conditions included the availability of ERDF resources through ITI mechanism, a high level of cooperation between partners, and the expertise of the project implementation team. Understanding local needs through preliminary analyses also played a critical role.

Challenges encountered during implementation included coordinating multiple local authorities, meeting the technical requirements for infrastructure installations (such as electricity connections), and encouraging public acceptance and use of bicycles in an area traditionally dominated by car transport. Through strategic adjustments, intensive promotional campaigns, and flexible cooperation among stakeholders, these challenges were successfully addressed, and the project objectives were fully achieved.

The project outputs were monitored through three indicators: the number of newly registered users had a target value of 3,000, with 26,310 achieved; the number of rentals had a target value of 25,000, with 295,043 achieved; and the new and upgraded bicycle lanes had a target value of 1.19 km, with 1.198 km achieved.

Data shows the introduced bicycle public system is in active use. The volume of bike rentals and the number of registered users prove it is functioning effectively and providing a well-received service to citizens.

The project demonstrates how mid-sized urban agglomerations can successfully develop sustainable public bicycle systems through strong inter-municipal cooperation, careful planning, and integration with local needs. The model is replicable in EU cities facing traffic congestion and aiming to promote green mobility.

Key recommendations for other urban authorities include ensuring a needs-based distribution of stations, integrating classic and e-bicycles, securing strong coordination between cities and municipalities, and investing in user-friendly infrastructure and digital systems. Early analysis of user needs and flexibility in system management need to be accounted for. Partnerships with local companies for system management could strengthen operational sustainability of the investment. Public engagement and promotion activities are essential for rapid system adoption and exceeding targets, thus ensuring long-term impact.

https://split.hr/projekti/biraj-biciklu-kk0742220001