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Interesting debate Down Under about Australia's first citybike hire scheme, which started a few weeks ago in Melbourne. It is probably doomed to failure because of compulsory national helmet laws, which make the idea of just taking a bike from a stand and dropping in off a while later, somewhat expensive! (a $144 fine for no helmet is policed here). Assessment in the broadsheets here, with video http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/helmet-law-makes-nonsense-of-bike-hire-scheme-20100722-10my2.html <http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/helmet-law-makes-nonsense-of-bike-hire-scheme-20100722-10my2.html> . It is somewhat galling to hear of the success of such schemes in other countries. Over the weekend we had Mikael Colville-Andersen, who has somehow become the spokesperson for Copenhagen's utilitarian approach to urban transport that favours bikes, deliver an address on the Copenhagen experience, down on the Melbourne riverfront during our 'State of Design' festival. The gist was that cycling levels increased in C. not because of a Danish propensity to embrace non-polluting modes, but because getting from A-B was simply quicker on a bike, enabled by enlightened infrastructure planning and high car tax. He argued Copenhageners do not self-identify as "cyclists" and nor are they terribly attached to their bikes - it is just what you do to get around. No-nonsense infrastructure is the way to go, but cycling also needs to be marketed and well presented as a lifestyle choice. Remembering an earlier paper I had written (below 1) when I lived there, I thought he had skipped over one essential ingredient - the political economy of Danish cycling. Saving Copenhagen's famous trunk-road bike lanes from being ripped out, and ot then get them extended, did actually require concerted political action, at a time when car use was rising in the 70s. There were numerous street protests and political lobbying. My many years setting up the Ealing LCC group in London also taught me that you have to "fight for the streetscape" (below 2) against Council infrastructure planners and road engineers, and this becomes a constant battle. And, there was no smooth and 'gradual' increase in cycling in central London, surely - it was the congestion charge and financial commitment by local and metropolitan councils, all of whom were elected. But let me know - I left in 2001. Similarly, in Melbourne, in order to save a decent public bike scheme, which some thing is trally important (I am not so sure) we will have to fight to get an exemption to the helmet law- otherwise thousands of commuters and tourists will be sticking to the tram and the pavements. This will be a very big campaign, about which cycling organisations are currently split. Unfortunately "the Law" is Holy Grail in this country and it has been around since 1990. It makes us a laughing stock in European cycling circles. PS seeking literature on these topics - I actually work on other things, mainly. cheers S 1) Simon Batterbury 2002. Cycling in Copenhagen http://www.simonbatterbury.net/pubs/copenhagen.doc <http://www.simonbatterbury.net/pubs/copenhagen.doc> 2) Batterbury, S.P.J. 2003. Environmental activism and social networks: campaigning for bicycles and alternative transport in West London <http://www.simonbatterbury.net/pubs/annals.htm> . Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 590: 150-169. http://www.simonbatterbury.net/pubs/annals.htm <http://www.simonbatterbury.net/pubs/annals.htm> Dr. Simon Batterbury, Director, Office for Environmental Programs, University of Melbourne, 3010 VIC, Australia. +61 (03) 8344 5073 Fax: +61 (03) 8344 5650 http://www.environment.unimelb.edu.au <http://www.environment.unimelb.edu.au/> & Associate Professor, Dept. of Resource Management and Geography, (rm L2.33, 221 Bouverie St) +61 (0)3 8344 9319 Fax +61 (0)3 9349 4218 simonpjb@ unimelb.edu.au http://www.simonbatterbury.net <http://www.simonbatterbury.net/>