Key Highlights
"How about using the more than 1 million yuan saved from fireworks to develop public bicycles?" When hearing that Zhengzhou would not set off fireworks this Lantern Festival, saving over 1 million yuan as a result, a netizen from Zhengzhou suggested.
On January 28 of this year, Yongcheng City took the lead in launching a green travel service project, deploying over 600 public bicycles in the urban area for citizens to rent. As a pioneer in public bicycle development in China, Hangzhou already has more than 69,000 public bicycles facilitating citizens' travel. A survey by our official Weibo account showed that 97% of netizens are calling for Zhengzhou to provide public bicycles to citizens as soon as possible.
[Netizen Appeals]
Save fireworks money to develop public bicycles
"Zhengzhou isn’t setting off fireworks this Lantern Festival, saving over 1 million yuan. In two years, that’s two to three million. Why not use that money to develop public bicycles?" Yesterday, Sina Weibo user "Muxin Bangzhu" said. The netizen’s comment once again sparked heated discussion among the people of Green City.
In fact, Yongcheng has already taken the lead in letting its residents ride "public bicycles." On January 28 of this year, 30 public bicycle rental sites and 600 public bicycles in the city were officially put into use.
According to Li Pingsan, general manager of Yongcheng Branch of Changzhou Yongan Public Bicycle System Co., Ltd., which is responsible for the project’s operation, since its launch, the number of people using bicycles daily has gradually increased, as has the number of card applications. The city stipulates that citizens can ride for free within the first hour. If their errands take longer, they can return and pick up the bike nearby. Citizens aged 16 to 70 can apply for a bicycle card at designated locations with valid ID. Local residents need to pay a 60-yuan deposit, a 10-yuan card processing fee, and a 30-yuan usage credit upon application, while non-local residents need to pay a 200-yuan deposit, a 10-yuan card processing fee, and a 30-yuan usage credit.
It is understood that if the initial phase does not meet citizens’ needs, the city will consider adding more rental sites and bikes based on demand.
[Examples from Elsewhere]
Hangzhou invested nearly 400 million yuan
Has 69,000+ public bicycles
Hangzhou’s public bicycle service system began trial operations on May 1, 2008, and officially launched on September 16 of the same year. Rental fees are free for the first hour, 1 yuan for one to two hours, 2 yuan for two to three hours, and 3 yuan per hour thereafter. By June 2012, the city had 2,744 service sites and 65,000 public bicycles, with an average daily rental of 238,900 trips and a peak daily rental of 370,500 trips.
Yesterday afternoon, a reporter called Hangzhou Public Bicycle Transportation Service Development Co., Ltd. A staff member surnamed Han from the company’s general department said that currently, Hangzhou has 2,962 public bicycle rental sites and 69,750 public bicycles, with an average daily rental exceeding 230,000 trips. About 50% of these rentals occur during morning and evening rush hours, playing a significant role in alleviating traffic congestion. Additionally, the utilization rate of public bicycles in Hangzhou is over 96%, and most usage falls within the free time period. "Public bicycles are now very common in Hangzhou, widely accepted by the public—we even call them 'free bikes'."
Currently in Hangzhou, choosing public bicycles as a convenient, green, and fashionable mode of transport has been recognized and embraced by residents and tourists alike, becoming a highlight in the city’s efforts to build an eco-friendly, low-carbon urban environment.
Reports indicate that the investment in Hangzhou’s public bicycle system has been covered by fiscal funds, totaling nearly 400 million yuan to date, while daily operations are managed through commercial models.
"The model we adopt is government-led and enterprise-operated. With government policy support and market-based operations, we can achieve a balance between revenue and expenditure," the Han-surnamed staff member from the general department of Hangzhou Public Bicycle Transportation Service Development Co., Ltd. explained in the interview.
[Reporter Experience]
In Zhengzhou’s congested areas, "nothing beats a bicycle for speed"
With Hangzhou’s public bicycle development earning praise from all sectors, is it really necessary for Zhengzhou to develop public bicycles? Our Dahe Daily reporter conducted an on-the-ground test.
The section of Nongye Road from Wenhua Road to Dongfeng Road in Zhengzhou is a notoriously congested area. At 3:09 p.m. yesterday, a Dahe Daily reporter started cycling north along Wenhua Road from the BRT station west of the intersection of Nongye Road and Wenhua Road. From the intersection heading north to the junction of Wenhua Road and Jianxue Street, heavy vehicle congestion was evident. Along this congested stretch, at the intersection of Jianxue Street and Wenhua Road, a bus traveling parallel to the reporter arrived at the intersection of Wenhua Road and Dongfeng Road four minutes after the reporter did.
At 3:48 p.m. yesterday, the Dahe Daily reporter cycled eastward from the intersection of Dongfeng Road and Nanyang Road. Along the way, severe congestion was observed in front of Taobao City, Zhongguan Building, and Buynow on Dongfeng Road. It took the reporter 26 minutes to cycle to the intersection of Dongfeng Road and Huayuan Road. At Buynow, a white private car briefly traveled alongside the reporter’s bicycle but arrived at the same point three minutes after the reporter did.
The stretch from Zijingshan to Zhengzhou Railway Station is another well-known congested area in Zhengzhou. Yesterday, it took the Dahe Daily reporter just 25 minutes to cycle from Zijingshan Roundabout to Zhengzhou Railway Station. "This speed is definitely faster than driving," many private car owners commented enviously afterward.
Another team of reporters cycled from Nongye Road, along Zhengzhou’s Jinyi Road to Huayuan Road, completing the route in just 8 minutes. Many drivers said that traveling the same route after 5 p.m. would "absolutely take no less than 20 minutes."
[Project Shelved]
Zhengzhou once proposed building a public bicycle service system
In 2010, Henan media reported that the construction project for the bicycle public service system, led by Zhengzhou’s Urban Management Bureau, had been submitted to the municipal Party committee and government. The Zhengzhou Urban Planning Bureau was organizing the site planning for the bicycle transportation system. The report stated that the operator of Zhengzhou’s convenience bicycle public service system was Henan Wenshang Alliance Investment Management Co., Ltd.
So, more than two years later, how has the project progressed? "The project has long been shelved and remains without any progress to this day," said Duan, an official from the Bridge Department of Zhengzhou’s Urban Management Bureau who was originally in charge of the project. In 2010, Zhengzhou planned to build a bicycle public service system, intending for Henan Wenshang Alliance Investment Management Co., Ltd. to manage operations. A representative from the company often visited his office to discuss construction details. The bureau also held a public hearing to gather feedback on the bicycle service system, with many citizens supporting the project.
Mr. Duan said that after the hearing, “no one mentioned the project again.” The project was shelved with no progress made. It is said that relevant officials in Zhengzhou at the time suggested suspending the construction, but he was not sure of the reason.
Liu, deputy head of the Comprehensive Division of Zhengzhou Municipal Transport Commission, said that up to now, they have not received any information about the construction of a bicycle public service system.
In fact, several members of the public had previously attempted to build a bicycle public service system in Zhengzhou, but none lasted long before halting the work. In 2007, when the first National Urban Public Transport Week and Car-Free Day were held in 108 cities across the country, Huo Xiaoxun, a young man from Zhengzhou, saw a business opportunity and established the city’s first bicycle rental company. However, just four months later, the company ceased operations, and all 500 bicycles were “sold off cheaply” to flea markets.
In April 2008, “public transit” bicycles operated by a Zhengzhou-based company hit the streets and were initially well-received by residents, with over 100 rentals per day. But due to the limited number of rental stations—and most being located in busy urban areas, making them inconvenient for users—the service did not last long and soon ceased operation.
[Expert Opinions]
Without government support and subsidies
it is very difficult to operate a bicycle public service system
“Many people in Zhengzhou have tried to build a bicycle public service system, but none have succeeded. In contrast, places like Hangzhou have been very successful. Their success is due to strong government backing, while their lack of success is because the government did not provide support,” said Song Xiangqing, a renowned young economist in our province and secretary-general of the Henan Commercial Economics Association. He explained that solving traffic congestion is not a purely market-driven act but a public welfare initiative. And as a public welfare measure, it must be led by the government, which needs to make the investment.
Song Xiangqing added that buses, subways, and light rails are all part of public transport, and public bicycles should also be part of it. Public bicycles serve as an effective supplement and extension to buses, subways, and light rails. Practice has shown that they are also one of the most effective modes of transport for short-distance travel. Moreover, they are environmentally friendly and truly green transportation.
Since public bicycles are part of public transport, their operation should naturally receive the same government support—including subsidies and other funding—as public transport companies. Especially when it comes to building rental stations, only the government can resolve this, as it requires the use of public resources and substantial funding—something a single company simply cannot achieve on its own. “No matter how you look at it, Zhengzhou should establish a bicycle public service system as soon as possible to tackle the increasingly severe problems of traffic congestion and air pollution.”
[Our Newspaper’s Investigation]
97% of netizens support Zhengzhou
in rolling out a public bicycle service as soon as possible
As residents of Zhengzhou, do you support or oppose the launch of a public bicycle service project? Yesterday, our newspaper conducted separate surveys on its official Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo accounts. As of press time last night, the results from our official Sina Weibo survey showed that 97% of netizens supported the development of a public bicycle service in Zhengzhou, with only 3% opposed. Meanwhile, the Tencent Weibo survey showed that, aside from a very small number of dissenters, 96.55% of respondents expressed support.
In the survey, the first commenter, a user named Weichen Jiumeng, wrote: “Fully support it. The question is, when will Zhengzhou actually get it?”
“I visited Hangzhou once and found public bicycle rental stations everywhere. Many locals rent bikes after work and return them near their homes—it’s so convenient. Plus, there's no worry about bike theft. I support it,” said a user named Honglian Tuizi.
“It seems Zhengzhou has proposed similar plans before, but I don’t know why they weren’t implemented. The issue of people carrying passengers on bicycles in Zhengzhou is serious, and no one manages it—it’s unsafe. In Hangzhou, carrying passengers on bikes isn’t allowed. We could start with a small rollout, gradually develop, and keep learning from experience. I believe Zhengzhou’s skies will slowly turn blue again!” commented a user named Duoxiang Xinpeng.
“Must support it—spoken by a low-profile Henan native who’s lived in Hangzhou for eight years,” said another netizen.
“Hope Zhengzhou gets it soon too,” “Support it, build it ASAP—think of how much we could save on fireworks in two years, like two or three million yuan. Fully support,” “It promotes fitness for all and protects the environment. So many benefits...” These are just some of the responses from numerous netizens.