The
purpose of this project is to reduce barriers to opportunities by providing
Cairo residents and especially youth with an alternative mobility option which
is bike sharing. Bike sharing systems
have proven to be a low cost public transportation tool that addresses the
mobility challenge of developing cities. Bike sharing is a system where “anyone
can pick up a bike in one place and return it to another place, making
point-to-point, human powered transportation feasible. Today, more than 600
cities around the globe have their own bike-share systems, and more programs
are starting every year” (ITDP 2013, 10). Bike sharing has made biking easily
accessible as it eliminates the struggle of finding bike parking. A bike share
subscriber is able to pick up a bike at point A, and then drop it off at any
other bike docking station across the city (point B). Subscribers can check at
docking stations or on their phones the availability of bikes at each docking
location. By placing stations every 500m
approx., bike sharing becomes an incredibly effective transportation option for
short trips. Bike Share technology can
be automated using credit cards or can be based on prepaid membership cards
that. Bike sharing systems have been adopted in cities with similar densities
and needs to Giza and Cairo and that is part of why this is an appropriate
solution. Below are some images of the
key features of existing bike sharing systems today from around the world that
make bike sharing an attractive transportation mode.
Figure 1
Typical Bike Sharing Docking Stations where bikes are stored for pick up
and drop off (ITDP 2013, 98)
Figure 2 Map of Ecobici,, Mexico City's bike sharing
map, indicating the locations of bike sharing docking stations. Source:
https://www.ecobici.df.gob.mx/
Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 3 Left: Bike sharing registration booth at a
docking station, picking up a bike is an automated process that sometimes
involves pre online registration(ITDP 2013, 74).
Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 4Right: Membership card for Mexico City's
Ecobici (ITDP 2013, 74).
Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 5 New York City Department of Transportation
Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and other city officials test bicycles in for
New York City's bike-share program (ITDP 2013, 26).
Synergy with other public transportation systems
Bike sharing can be a useful tool to attract
customers towards mass public transportation systems. People often choose the
car because the transportation system is not close or convenient enough, but
bikes can address this issue. Bike docking stations are typically placed next
to metro and bus stops to prevent residents from travelling the ‘last mile' by
walking or by car. Often times, a public transport customer is required to take
multiple connections such as the metro or the bus but these do not stop close
enough to his/her destination. Bike
sharing encourages residents to opt for public transportation instead of
private cars. Furthermore, small trips can be entirely completed by bikes and
thus reducing the dependency on motorized
Catchment
Area
The proposed area for this
project is Cairo University and the surrounding areas in the Giza Governorate due to the high concentration of youth. University students are a great target group for bike sharing because they are
willing to try new things and change in behavior is not very difficult for
them. In addition, the university includes people from all socio-economic levels,
and it is likely that mainly of the young people in the university have not yet
purchased a car. Also based on the
surveys conducted at Cairo University (see following section) there is a demand
and willingness for bicycling by university students. It is important to note that there are several key metro and bus stops in the area, and the project will aim to connect to those that are not within walking walking distance (800 meters). Bicycle service expands coverage to 5 km. During the feasibility study, key landmarks will also be studied as well origins and destinations of trips to ensure that system is located in an catchment area that corresponds to movement in this area.
UN Habitat
has conducted a field visit to identify possible locations for the proposed 20
bike sharing docking stations, and below is a proposed map that will be
validated through the demand surveys that will be conducted in the project.
Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 8 Proposed Catchment Area and bike stations
Demand for Bike Sharing around Cairo University Implementing
bike lanes and encouraging people to cycle are the best possible solutions to
decrease Cairo's serious transportation dilemma. Different organizations have
been discussing the possibility of implementing bike lanes in various places in
Cairo. Cairo university is the main
university in which thousands of students, faculty, and staff attend every day;
therefore, streets around the university are always crowded. In 2013, the
Planning Department in Cairo University conducted a survey amount 356 students
to understand bike usage and attitudes towards biking. The result of the survey which are indicated
in the below pie charts, demonstrate there is a strong demand for bicycle
rental among students. 87% of students indicated that they would be interested
in renting a bicycle.
atin;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin"> Observations for Potential Bike Lanes.
Sustainable Transport Project Cairo University
