Londoners Saddle up with Boris’s Bikes

I think it’s fair to say that you couldn’t miss the introduction of Boris’s Bikes here in London last week, with the man himself pictured across every newspaper in town. But how far has the initiative been accepted and what are the implications for our industry?

Opinion on the scheme still divides the city but personally, I can’t help but feel slightly proud that we have a cycle station installed right here, behind the FIA offices.

Admittedly, we’re not all cycling to work just yet, but then the scheme wasn’t ever going to change the lifestyles of a city overnight. That, as we all know, takes a great deal of time, engagement and perseverance. It will be interesting to see how the scheme rolls out and performs against its target of generating 40,000 cycle journeys in London. No pressure!

Despite the teething problems, due largely to those who accumulated hefty bills after renting the bikes for 24 hours (they’re meant for short distances), I think the initiative is a great way to get Londoners more active, more often. It contributes to the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity 5 times a week and not only brings the mental and physical health benefits as with any form of exercise but it is also good for the environment and welcomes an entirely new group of commuters to the activity landscape.

It also promotes very easy access to facility based gyms pre and post work – perhaps an opportunity for our city clubs to increase both membership and frequency?

It helps commuters develop their own active habits and for some, this may be their first step back into activity for a long time. We should support them as they look for a more involved, longer term lifestyle solution which has the potential to drive customers through our member’s doors.

It would be interesting to see if there’s been any peak in spinning classes in the city due to they hype around cycling and the benefits it brings….

The TFL partnership with Barclays is a perfect example of how we can work with large, commercial brands to bring more customers to our industry and put more wind in the sails of Change4Life, as suggested in our TwentyTen Commission.

There’ s still a long way to go in terms of reaching the 20% target and addressing the issue of cycle lanes, lighting, provision of helmets but personally, I can only see benefits for the scheme and I hope to see it roll out nationally. What a great form of transport to have in place for 2012.

A friend of mine who took one of the bikes commented how he felt in his prime again after receiving so many ‘interested glances'... Until he realised, it was the bike they were looking at, not him! It’s still a novelty at the moment, but I will certainly be saddled up, following the initiative as it gains momentum.