City dwellers shift gear to shared bikes

Public bike services, typically operated and subsidized by local governments for the public good, are withdrawing from the market in many Chinese cities as shared bikes provide residents with better service.

In Shandong province, the city of Yantai has been dismantling public bicycle service facilities. In a statement, officials said that with the rapid development of mobile internet technology, travel demands have become more diverse. Compared to traditional public bicycles, shared bikes offer greater coverage and convenience.

Moreover, abandoned public bicycle stations not only take up urban space but also pose safety hazards, the statement added.

Some residents share this view.

"The public bikes are not convenient to ride," wrote Sina Weibo user ExiaHan. "It's complicated to open an account, and sometimes there's no returning site where I visit. Sometimes, if the returning site is full, I have to find a new one. Compared to public bikes, I prefer e-bikes and cars."

But not everyone agrees.

Many elderly people struggle to use smartphones to scan QR codes required to unlock shared bikes. And most shared bikes are deployed in central urban areas, leaving residents in outlying areas without the same level of convenience, according to Shangyou News, a media outlet in Chongqing.

Public bike services in Changshan county, Zhejiang province, and in Daqing's Ranghulu district, Heilongjiang province, ended in April due to aging equipment, The Paper reported.

Behind this trend is the popularity of shared bikes, which have reduced demand for traditional public bicycles. In Beijing last year, the number of shared bike rides reached 1.14 billion, a year-on-year growth of 5.12 percent, according to data from the Beijing Municipal Committee of Transport.

Wang Yunfei, an associate professor at Anhui University, said shared bikes have become an important tool for solving the "last mile" problem in people's commutes, Hefei Evening News reported.

"Unlike public bikes that rely on government subsidies, shared bikes are more convenient to ride. Consumers are willing to pay for convenience and better service, making shared bikes more competitive," Wang said.

He added that the government should encourage nongovernment entities to provide high-quality public service products and focus on market supervision. Meanwhile, he said the government could work to enhance the connection between public transportation and "last mile" travel.

"For example, launching microcirculation bus routes in communities and commercial areas, and setting up shared bike parking spots or short-distance shuttle buses around subway stations and bus stops," he said.

In Putian, Fujian province, the city completed the asset transfer auction of its public bicycle project on April 24. Putian Resources Recycling Group, the company that purchased the bikes, plans to upgrade the system by offering public electric bicycles and building an intelligent charging and battery swapping network. The initiative aims to create a smart, green urban travel system and address the "last mile" problem for commuters.