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Boston is planning to launch a bike-sharing programme putting 3,000 bikes on its streets in an effort to shed its image of a bike-unfriendly city, as reported by wbur.org.
City employees currently have access to 30 bikes at 10 city buildings in Boston, which will be augmented by the 3,000 shared cycles set for introduction next year.
Boston’s director of bicycle programmes, Nicole Freedman, said: “We’re looking at the City of Boston Bike Pool, which is aimed at encouraging employees to ride bikes instead of using cars for work trips.”
Boston has been ranked three times as one of the worst places in the US to cycle, with safety a huge concern for potential cyclists. Cyclists reportedly also have to deal with roads in poor condition for bikes, while cycle critics claim there is a ‘culture of disobedience’ among its riders.
Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition, or MassBike, said that safety concerns were misplaced.
MassBike’s education director Shane Jordan, said: “The perception is that if you ride your bike in Boston, you will be run over by everyone and die. What are these people doing that’s wrong? No helmet. No lights. All dark clothing like ninjas in the middle of the night. So all the rules you have to follow in a car, you have to follow on a bike.”
