In terms of “green” transportation, Nice has followed the example of Paris, Marseille, and Toulouse. On July 18, 2009, the city made 900 blue bikes available to users, parked in 90 stations.
Soon, the capital of the Côte d’Azur will have 300 more bicycles and 30 additional stations will be added. Neighborhoods like Fabron, Carras, and Saint-Augustin will see the arrival of the famous bikes. The bikes have been growing in popularity: a month after their introduction, there were already over 36,000 uses, more than 2,000 annual subscriptions, 2,000 rentals, and 400 “24 hours a day” subscriptions. Additionally, the average usage time is between 20 to 25 minutes. It should be noted that the first 30 minutes are free.
The “little queen” has been so successful that it now has 200,000 users. However, this success is accompanied by some negative points. Residents of Nice criticize the lack of bike lanes. Additionally, there is a poorly performing computer system and a criticized locking mode. In total, more than 150 bicycles have been stolen or vandalized.
Nevertheless, renting a blue bike remains relatively easy, even with contactless technology (the user unlocks the bike with a simple call or with a badge). Progress has been made, but there is still room for improvement for a useful and eco-friendly transportation system.
