Quarrelsome end to Rome’s bike-sharing scheme?
by Antonino John Scoppettuolo (staff) | Friday, March 13th, 2009
Pedestrians check out Rome's bike-sharing stations (by Fang Yuxiang)
To share or not to share… the answer, unfortunately for Rome’s bike-sharing wannabes is “not”. Set in motion under Rome’s prior mayor Veltroni the scheme – designed as part of a broader drive to turn vast swathes of Rome’s city centre into a pedestrian area – has had the plugged pulled on it by private contractors, Cemusa.
Following July last’s inauguration the Spain-based multinational specialising in outdoor public furniture, pulled out of its out-of-pocket sponsorship lamenting the municipal administration’s delays in regulating what should have ultimately turned into a privately run – although competitively priced – bike rental scheme.
Nine months into the scheme – and almost three months after the expiry of six-month long free trials – Cemusa has – reports daily La Repubblica – tired of the Municipal administration’s ‘dithering’ on the subject of a formal contract.
Faced with such assertive cold-shouldering mayor Alemanno has pledged to patch things up with Cemusa or, alternatively, hand management of the service over to the city’s public transport company ATAC. Biking associations have threatened to stage a ‘saddled’ protest tomorrow, kicking off at 11 a.m. from Piazza di Spagna.
