New York City bike share system gets a green light

(NYC Bike Share)

New York City authorities confirmed last week that the Big Apple's first bikeshare scheme will begin next summer.

The New York City Bike Share scheme, operated by the NYC Department of Transport (DOT), is set to put America's most popular destination on a par with rivals such as London and Paris.

City authorities said that the system will boast some 10,000 bikes, available around the clock for commuters and tourists to hop on and ride away.

Over 600 self-service solar-powered stations will be installed in the coming months to support the bikes, the NYC DOT confirmed, with members of the public invited to request the locations where they would like to see stations on a new website.

Like similar schemes in other global cities, rentals of between 30 and 45 minutes will be free, with a fee levied on users who go over the allocated free time.

Although no specific launch date has been specified, New Yorkers will get the chance to test the system for a short period beforehand, and demonstrations will be given over the coming months to various community groups.

http://www.nycitybikeshare.com/