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Public Bike Sharing System In 2004 I introduced OYBike to CTC's insurers for this, and likewise advised Brompton Dock. In 1996 - the first automated bike hire system in the UK (and possibly Europe - Japanese bike hire towers were noted in 1988 by Michael Replogle in the BFA Cycling with Public Transit) was 2 sites at Portsmouth University, adn as users were solely staff & students some of the issues noted never arose. Adshel (Clear Channel) launched in Rennes with Sandnes (ABS) bikes in 1997. Current main UK schemes Nextbike (Glasgow-Bath-Stirling), Hourbike (Lincoln-Liverpool-Reading &c), Bixi (modified and made more expensive to install & operate for TfL) and a few other automated systems - Yellowbike (Patrick Darlington - electric) CoWheels (yes, the car club with electric bikes in lockers - soon to launch in Inverness) and the Slough bikes - I think its based on an Italian system? B-Cycle - promoted by Trek Brompton Dock and Bike&Go, and several other systems cross over to the Public Bike Hire rather than Bike Sharing, as they hire by the day, with a greatly simplified system. Over the years I've advised OYBike on sourcing insurance and linked issues, and put Brompton Dock in touch with CTC to connect with a specialist on cycle insurance issues. Feedback from another operator, who has been delivering PBSS for around a decade now, has also been helpful. Generally the system supplier has, as a requirement of the tender to provide for a public/employers liability cover of either £5m or £10m covering against employees and agents servicing the system, and against defects/negligence associated with the provision of bikes and other hardware. If its a local authority you will normally find that they make sure the liability is off-loaded on to the supplier. Most operators do not provide third party cover for the user of the bike, although it as been suggested that the Bixi system operated in London does include an element for an insurance policy in the membership fee. It would be a difficult risk to assess, and so the conditions of hire place a responsibility on the hirer to carry out basic safety checks before using a bike, and carry their own liability for thier actions when riding the bike. For many their household policies will cover them for using a bike for general purpose journeys, but NOT cycling in any competitive events, or carrying goods, or otherwise acting for a third party on a commercial basis, although the level of third party cover offered by a household policy may well be limited. The best advice, and an area where I have in the past flagged this with *CTC,* is to have a rider basics package, which is either offered as a direct CTC product, or exclusive deal for PBSS members, with other pick & mix from the 'member benefits' package, such as technical and legal back-up and even recovery of a broken down bike to the nearest bike hire point (which may be some distance for PBH rather then PBS schemes. I think that *Brompton Dock* used to highlight (or link to) *CTC Membership* as a way to get appropriate rider cover, and buy a Brompton-tailored theft insurance, for peace of mind (Hire schemes make the hire liable for several £'00 of bike replacement or repair when the bike is hired to them - but few operators offer a claims excess waiver payment like a car hire company). Dave Holladay On 12/08/14 13:58, John Meudell wrote: > Justin > > Sorry, but what is PBSS? > > But, from your description, I would surmise that in this instance, a third party providing services to a public authority, unless the contract states otherwise, liability is with the provider. That said, the ease of finding insurance would be dependent on the organizations involved, scale of operation, and the services provided. It may also be wise to consider personal (professional) liability for staff involved (again, dependent on the type an scale of services being provided). > > I had some experience attempting to source public liability insurance for a small voluntary group developing a BMX track.....basically no chance and very expensive if you can find it. The track is classed as a public amenity and was built on public land, owned the council. It was a very bruising experience....! In practice that sort of PLI is better and much cheaper and more economic lumped in with the council's own liability insurance (which is huge and designed to cover these sorts of risk), which is the way we started the project and, after a lot of arguing and un-ethical behaviour on the part of the council, is the way it ended up. > > Don't know what the situation is with regard to services not requiring use of a public asset, or any physical asset for that matter, but there will be specialist insurance brokers who can handle that kind of situation. > > Cheers > > John Meudell > C.Eng, MIMechE > > (Hi, Justin....you're in Cardiff now?.....which is why I don't met you on the High Street here anymore!) > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Justin Spinney > Sent: 12 August 2014 09:26 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: PBSS - Responsibility for Public Liability Insurance > > Hi all > > I have a query regarding public liability insurance for PBSS in London and other cities. As most if not all of these schemes are run by third party providers on behalf of the relevant authority, whose responsibility is it to pay for the (presumably mandatory) public liability insurance - the service provider or the local authority? And does anyone know what kinds of sums we are talking? > > Any information from those in the know on how different authorities have dealt with this issue would be very welcome. If you want to email me off-list I’m at [log in to unmask] > > Thanks, > > Justin > > Dr Justin Spinney > School of Planning and Geography > Cardiff University