Page 31 - Monaco Economy 130-2

MONABIKE: “Get your (electric) bike!”

by Milena Radoman
MonaBike claims to be the fastest way to get around Monaco and has the advantage of a fleet of
350 electric bikes and 49 stations spread across the Principality.

Impact des services VLD sur l'usage de la voiture
(se séparer, renoncer à l'achat ou diminuer l'usage
de la voiture) par type de commune de résidence en France
Impact of long-term rental bike services on car use
(ceasing, deciding against the purchase of or reducing
car use) by type of municipality of residence in France
Bourgs ruraux
Rural towns Travailler, étudier
Ceintures urbaines 61 % Work, study
Urban belts
Centres urbains intermédiaires
Medium-sized urban centres
Grands centres urbains 49 % Trajet vers des loisirs
Large urban centres Travel to leisure activities
Petites villes
Small towns
Rural à habitat dispersé
Rural with scattered inhabitants 46 % Se balader, visiter
Leisure outings and visits
Rural à habitat très dispersé
Rural with widely-dispersed inhabitants
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Source : rapport Vélo Publique / report Vélo Publique
In 2023, over 600,000 journeys were made by annual subscriptions (€72 or €48 for a public the fleet for an annual amount of €106,000,
MonaBike, +20% compared to 2022. Like the parking subscriber). with technical maintenance provided by the
Northern European and main French cities, Monaco Bus Company. In Paris, which ranks
Monaco has heeded the siren song of a self- Amongst the uses of MonaBike: bicycle in the Top 10 of cycling cities, 68% of bicycle
service, electrically-assisted bicycle system commuting, which is using your bike to get journeys made daily in the capital are home
since 2019. The system, with bicycles parked to work. According to a recent study by the to work journeys .
**
in public spaces, has several advantages for French Ecological Transition Agency (ADEME),
the user: allowing the bike to be dropped off at electrically-assisted bicycles promote the * After one hour, the additional cost is €2 per half hour.
a different point from the place of departure; transition from car to cycling: “49% of long-term ** According to a study carried out by Lime, one of the
and no parking and maintenance liabilities. subscribers and 26% of occasional subscribers main suppliers of self-service scooters and electric
“Bike sharing represents a small measure say they have reduced the use of their car bikes, at the end of 2023, Paris was the seventh most
of the transport cocktail but, for a city, it’s a since the start of their subscription.” 10% say bike-friendly city.
godsend. For the price of a single articulated they have given up on purchasing or driving
bus, you have 1,000 sturdy and safe bicycles. a car. The reasons for abandoning the car in
Cities are snapping them up. Studies predict favour of the bike are numerous: reducing
annual growth of the global market at 10%,” one's ecological footprint; saving money on
explained Luc Sabbatini, CEO of PBSC Urban fuel; the heath benefits (reduction of stress, The electric bike in force
Solutions, the MonaBike supplier, during the improvement of general mood, etc); less time A new study carried out by ADEME and
installation. spent on transport - even though many hesitate the Association of Public Bicycles has
to take the plunge in the absence of dedicated just confirmed the growing popularity
Up to 25 km/h cycle lanes and the fear of cohabiting with of electric bikes.
For four years, this fleet of red and white cars in heavy traffic. • France has around 940,000 subscribers
bicycles has attracted many residents and to long-term rental bicycles and self-
commuters. The electric assistance allows Riding out to neighbouring towns service bicycle offers.
them to climb the steep hills of the Principality Bearing this in mind, commuters from • 133,000 rental bikes are currently in
and avoid traffic jams. These bikes can reach neighbouring towns are delighted that circulation (2/3 of the former, 1/3 of
up to 25km/h and are guaranteed for a period of MonaBike is expanding its network. This is the latter).
10 years. “With a fully- charged battery, the bike already the case in Beausoleil. Monaco has • The number of electric bicycles
has a range of 60 km,” explains the Compagnie given the town three stations (located at continues to increase: from 3,000 in
des Autobus de Monaco. In terms of cost, “a the Eiffel market, the place du Commandant 2015, it has increased to 85,000 today.
single fare allows you to make a one-way trip Raynal and Moneghetti) and 49 bicycles at a • 49% of respondents cycle regularly
of less than 30 minutes from one station to cost of some €95,000. Beausoleil will receive again in their free time thanks to this
another, for €1 ,” specifies the operator, which a share of the revenue and will have to cover service.
*
also offers various passes (€18 per month) and operating expenses and the maintenance of

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