Urban Transport

As the last fireworks from 2007's Bastille celebrations fade in the night sky, Parisians woke to find thousands of rental bikes waiting to carry them about their business.

Around 1500 bike stations are being introduced, housing specially designed, vandal-proof bicycles - roughly 20,000 of them by the end of 2007 - for hire by the hour.

Once you're a member, you can borrow a bike from one station and return to any other in the city and rental will be free for the first 30 minutes.

As Socialist Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delano says, besides the practical benefits, it's about making the city more civilised:

We think it could make for a nicer atmosphere, a better way of life.

Bertrand Delano, Socialist Mayor of Paris

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