Vélib’: gradual dismantling and responsible recycling

With a view to transition Vélib’ and transfer operations to the new operator on 1 January 2018, JCDecaux, the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide and leader in self-service bike rental schemes, will gradually remove all of its equipment during the transition period, which runs from 1 October 2017 to 31 March 2018. JCDecaux will give a second life by recycling all of its equipment: docking stations, docking points and bikes.

 In line with its sustainable development strategy and in accordance with the principles of circular economy, JCDecaux will give a second life to all of its docking stations and bikes.
At the time of the call for tender for the renewal of the Vélib’ contract, the bid by the JCDecaux/RATP/SNCF partnership included a proposal to reuse and modernise all existing infrastructure without carrying out any engineering works. Following the decision by the Syndicat Autolib’ Vélib’ Métropole (SMAVM) to select another operator, all of the docking stations are in the process of being dismantled.
 
Material recovered will be 100% reused or recycled through specialised streams.

• will be dismantled, checked and reconditioned, spare parts will be reused for maintenance on other self-service bike markets around the world. Some of the bikes will be dismantled by disabled workers at the ESAT (company providing assistance through employment) Les 3 Sources in the Oise, which has been working with the Group since 2009.
• Some of the furniture, docking stations and docking points will be renovated, reconditioned and offered to other towns in future calls for tender, whenever specifications authorise the use of refurbished equipment. The remainder will be used up gradually as spare parts for repairs to be carried out on the 32 other systems managed by JCDecaux across the world.
• The principles of the circular economy will be applied to the valorisation of the equipment: it will be sorted, separated and cleaned, then recycled in existing specialised streams. For example, aluminium, steel, cast iron and plastic will be recycled for reuse as raw materials.

 
JCDecaux and its employees to remain mobilised and at the service of Vélib users during the transition period.
From 1 October to end of December 2017, SOMUPI (subsidiary in which JCDecaux has a 66% stake and the Publicis group a 34% stake) will gradually dismantle 50% of existing docking stations, in accordance with an order defined by SMAVM. Dismantling will be carried out in three phases: electrical disconnection by a service provider, dismantling of equipment then destruction of the foundations.
At the end of December, all docking stations that have not been dismantled will be permanently shut down. Users will be able to dock bikes but it will no longer be possible to borrow bikes. Bikes will then gradually be removed and remaining docking stations will gradually be dismantled until 31 March 2018.  
On January 2018, the new operator will launch its docking stations and bikes.
 
JCDecaux would like to thank Vélib users for ten years of sharing, which have given real impetus to new forms of active mobility. Thanks to its users, Vélib has been fully accepted as an alternative way of getting around and has transformed the face of Paris. The first Vélib will remain a symbol of French culture and way of life across the world.
 
Vélib’ 2007-2017 in figures: 

• The largest self-service bike system in the world launched in 2007 (for number of bikes)
• 20,000 bikes spread across 1,230 docking stations in Paris and in 30 neighbouring communes
• Close to 39 million rides every year
• Over 339 million rentals since the launch
• Over 298,000 long-term subscribers, with a sharp rise over the last 3 years
• 107,000 rentals per day on average
• 235,000 km covered per day
• 75 Vélib’ bikes rented every minute
• Daily rotation rate of 5.6

 
About self-service bike systems provided by JCDecaux:
A pioneer in active mobility with over 628 million bike rides since the installation of the first bikes in Vienna (Austria) in 2003, JCDecaux, which has over 700,000 long-term subscribers worldwide, manages self-service bike rental schemes in 88 towns and cities in 13 countries in Europe and Asia-Pacific. Today, over 3.9 million people a year get around enjoying full freedom, by borrowing one of the 52,000 bikes available at 4,300 docking stations, completely hassle free.
 
Leveraging their incomparable international experience, the Group’s teams continue to imagine the future of self-service bikes. In Lyon, the first French city to trust JCDecaux and try out its self-service bike rental scheme in 2005, the renewal of the Vélo’v contract a few weeks ago provides the opportunity to roll out a network of hybrid self-service e-bikes with removable batteries, as early as 2020.
In Stockholm, 5,000 hybrid e-bikes with removable batteries and 300 dock less e-parking bike stations will be rolled out by JCDecaux in 2018.