Some last minute campaigning by I Bike T.O., The Urban Country and the Toronto Cyclists Union helped to push city hall to bring Bixi bikesharing back from the dead. Over three hundred letters were received by the mayor and councillors, asking politicians to keep Bixi alive. The mayor promised to make it a priority for staff to come up with an agreement. It appears as if the pressure had the intended purpose.
The next step is for the Bixi Toronto report to go to public works (PWIC) April 20 where approval is likely. After that is City Council where things are looking good that there will be approval. There are certain conditions placed on the contract that need to be met in order for the city to provide a loan guarantee.
Once all the ducks are in order, Bixi Toronto will be launched in Spring 2011 with 1000 bikes at 80 locations. It's not as impressive as the original starting point, but it's definitely a lot better than nothing, which was what we were looking at only a week ago.
City staff and PBSC have negotiated the draft terms of an agreement whereby PBSC would enter into a 10-year agreement with the City to be launched May 1, 2011. When the program is deployed, Torontonians and visitors would have access to 1,000 bicycles via 80 fully automated and conveniently located “bicycle parking stations” in the downtown area during the first year of operation with the potential to expand the system to other areas in the future. PBSC would be responsible for the $4.8 million capital investment to manufacture and install the public bicycle infrastructure and for the operation of the program, and the estimated $1.3 million average annual operating cost. In return, the City would provide a loan guarantee to assist PBSC in securing favourable financing. The City would be responsible for the cost of replacing the bicycles and stations due to vandalism and theft in excess of a six percent threshold.
The proposed agreement between the City and PBSC provides Toronto with a significant program which aligns well with the City's sustainable transportation and environmental objectives, with minimal cost or financial risk. The draft terms of agreement are very favourable to the City in comparison to other cities around the world with similar public bicycle programs.
I'll keep everyone updated as new information becomes available, in particular the need for advocates to come to City Council to show support.
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