It is already known that Split locals have fully accepted the public bicycle system, and by all accounts, we are facing another season in which rental records will be broken. This is according to data released before World Bicycle Day, which is celebrated on June 3. The total number of rentals since the beginning of the system in Split has reached 204,107, and the number of registered users has exceeded 20,000, Dalmatinski Portal writes.
Since the expansion of the system, the number of rentals has constantly been growing, and in May alone, a total of 36,540 rentals were realized, which is a significant increase compared to April when there were 25,000. If we look at the ratio in the first five months of last year and this year, there has been an increase in rentals over four times. On May 27, as many as 1,521 rentals were realized, which is the largest recorded figure in one day so far.
Last month was also a record year in terms of the number of newly registered users, of which there were 1,823. The majority of riders are still domestic (80%), but there is still a slight increase in the share of foreign riders. Precisely because of the constant growth of cyclists on the streets, which is expected with the arrival of better weather and the season, Split Parking has published an online version of cycling etiquette so that all cyclists can meet or be reminded of current traffic rules and you can read it on their website.
“Cycling has become a habit for the people of Split, and bicycles are becoming an increasingly desirable means of transport because they are now easily accessible. With the growing number of cyclists on the city streets, which will grow further with the start of the season, special attention should be paid to their safety and all road users. Last month, therefore, in cooperation with partners, we issued cycling etiquette to educate users on riding a bike safely and the rules to follow. At the same time, we are also working on better protection of stations and bicycles to prevent damage and make bicycles more accessible to users and less to be repaired. To continue to develop the system of public bicycles in Split and further, it is necessary to work in parallel on the development of adequate infrastructure that will be able to support the growing trend of cycling in Split,” said Marko Bartulić, director of Split Parking.
All planned stations have been set up, and a total of 51 stations are available to citizens. After Mertojak, the stations at the elementary schools Žnjan – Pazdigrad, Sirobuja, and the elementary school Kamen Šine were put into operation this weekend. As of this week, parents with children have an additional 15 child seats available.
Split Parking once again invites all citizens to ride a bike responsibly and to find out about the rules for safe riding at: https://www.splitparking.hr/javne-bicikle
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