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ANTWERP | City conducts market research for new concession for shared bicycle system Velo

Posted by Timothy on

The current concession for the shared bicycle system Velo expires at the end of February 2027. In order to guarantee the continuity and quality of a public shared bicycle system in Antwerp, the City of Antwerp is first organising open market consultations before issuing new specifications. 

It also formulated the most important conditions that the new operation must meet. In the meantime, several Velo usage records were broken again this summer.

In 2010, the city of Antwerp entered into an agreement with Clear Channel – known for its advertising solutions – for the establishment and operation of a public shared bicycle system. In 2011, the first 1,000 red and white Velo shared bicycles hit the road. 

‘Velo’ is bicycle in French (‘vélo‘) and the word velo was and is a popular word for bike in Antwerpian dialect. Although since 2011, it has become synonymous with the bike-sharing system. 

Statistics 

They were an immediate success. There are now more than 4,300 shared bicycles, spread over 315 stations.

Several records were broken again this summer, which proves the popularity of Velo. Velo currently has 62,700 subscribers with an annual pass, the highest number since 2011. In July and August, no fewer than 1,161,530 rides were registered and more than 28,000 cyclists used a day or week pass, which is also the highest number since 2011.

Alderman for Mobility Koen Kennis (N-VA): “Velo is and remains a very efficient bike-sharing system, which has become an indispensable part of Antwerp. All the more reason to look at how we can ensure the future of the system.”

Open market consultations

The contract with Clear Channel expires in February 2027. Before the City of Antwerp issues a new tender for the operation of the bike-sharing system, it first wants to investigate the current market supply, the costs and the management options. That is why the city will hold open market consultations. 

Potentially interested suppliers can provide their insights and information about the operation of their organisation via a questionnaire.

The focus here is on:

  • Options to expand the system;
  • Compact parking options;
  • Possible introduction of electric bicycles;
  • Vision on the transition period to the new system;
  • Popular tariff formulas (in other cities) compared to the current tariffs;
  • Advantages and disadvantages of a system without fixed parking places (stations).

Conditions for new concession

In addition, the city has formulated important conditions that the new bicycle sharing system must meet and/or contribute to:

  • The ambition is and remains a system with a high degree of use, and this in all layers of the population;
  • Pursuing a modal shift in Antwerp and by extension the Antwerp Transport Region;
  • Retaining the Velo brand: both the brand and the look and feel of the shared bicycles and stations have now become iconic. The new system must bring improvement without losing the iconic aspect;
  • An affordable system for the user, because the success of Velo can partly be explained by the low subscription price;
  • A system that contributes to an orderly public domain; 
  • The system must also facilitate longer and combined journeys, in order to realise the modal shift in the surrounding districts and the wider Antwerp Transport Region.

So ‘Velo’ will not disappear, but the who and how behind the scenes could. 

On the look of Antwerp