Public bike rental wheels into Beijing_美文_趣味英语-查字典英语网

Public bike rental wheels into Beijing

The card can be used to rent a bike and pay the fee automatically.

"During the initial period the registration system can only recognize the second-generation ID cards held by Beijing's permanent residents," said the Information Office of Beijing government on Sina Weibo on Monday.

"The registration system will be open to all people in Beijing soon," it said.

"I can't wait to use these bikes," said Beijing resident Liu Yong, as he waited outside a booth near Chaoyangmen subway station to get registered. "This means I don't have to drive my car to nearby places and worry about traffic."

Liu said he almost stopped driving a car to work due to traffic congestion, but taking a subway is not easy either as his home is a 20-minute walk from the nearest station.

"I hope there is a bike parking lot near my community so I can ride one to the subway station and then take the subway to work every day."

Bike rental service operated by private businesses has been running in Beijing for a few years, but it had not been put into widespread use due to problems that included meager profit and heavy expenses.

"This time the Beijing government is behind the project," said Mu. "The free use within the first hour and low fee shows it is a nonprofit project. The initial investment and operational costs are borne by the government."

Similar bike services by local governments have been provided in other cities, including Shanghai and Hangzhou, where more than 50,000 bikes are for rent.