With the announced end of the blue bikes in February 2024, the city of Nice has reportedly decided to switch to a new model, calling upon two private operators who will each deploy a fleet of 1,000 bikes, many of which will be equipped with electric assistance.
The bike-sharing service, more commonly known as Vélobleu in Nice, has been a crucial part of the mobility for residents for several years now. Convenient and economical, these bikes offer a preferred alternative in a city that is expanding its bike lanes all over. Currently, the service has a fleet of 1,465 bikes for 161 stations spread across the municipalities of Nice, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, and Cagnes-sur-Mer. The 450 electric-assist bikes in free-floating extend over an area that includes three additional municipalities: Villefranche-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and Beaulieu-sur-Mer. The availability is, at least on paper, close to what is expected with the two new operators.
As the contract between the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur and Vélobleu comes to an end in February 2024, it is likely that the transition from this public service to two private operators will lead to increased competition. Companies such as Lime, Dott, Pony, and Tier are already well-established in other French cities, offering semi-floating bike-sharing services. Their rates are estimated around €0.25 per minute, plus the unlocking fee, and a smartphone with an internet plan will likely be required to use these new services.
The End of an Era
Since its launch in July 2009, Vélobleu has revolutionized the travel of residents and visitors to the city. This service has greatly encouraged the adoption of bicycles as a practical, efficient, and non-polluting means of transportation. Since January 2020, the service has been enhanced by the addition of an electric-assist Vélobleu fleet, known as e-VéloBleu. This fleet was fully renewed in September 2021 with the introduction of 450 new, more efficient models. However, these have proven to be relatively fragile, and it has become rare to see them in circulation today.
