A bike-sharing service is an essential part of a more complex cycling plan, designed to increase the use of sustainable public transport. In this article, we dive into what Marseille is aiming to achieve and how they plan to achieve it.

What is Marseille aiming to achieve?

Goal: Carbon Neutrality by 2030

The city is committed to the  "Climate Neutral and Smart Cities" mission, a European programme bringing together cities committed to moving towards carbon neutrality, by 2030.

As one of the 100 cities selected on the basis of the seriousness of their applications, Marseille has the support from the European Union to carry out this project. 

Goal: Increased cycling by 2030

In line with carbon neutrality objectives, the city has given a large place to cycling in its mobility plan, which was voted on in 2021. The aim is to increase the modal share of cycling from 1% to 7% in the city by 2030.

But this change of direction was initiated much earlier, with the vote in 2018 of a 2019 - 2024 cycling plan financed to the tune of 60 million euros by the metropole and 40 million by the department. The ambition has been clearly stated, the goal is to double the modal share of cycling in daily journeys.

This plan consists of 15 concrete actions, based on three main areas:

1. Develop the use of bicycles for everyday journeys
2. Encourage access to cycling for as many people as possible
3. Make cycling safer and promote the use of bicycles

The region is applying the right strategy: integrating cycling services into a proactive policy of setting up a real cycling system. This system acts as much on services as on infrastructure, without forgetting the development of a cycling culture.

A monitoring committee has been set up, including consultation with local associations, to ensure user satisfaction.

How do bikes help a city achieve its ambitious goals?

100% Electric

The city is adopting a systemic approach to maximise the use of bicycles for daily travel: 

• Bicycle purchase assistance: for committed users
• Long-term rental: for users in transition to cycling
• Self-service bicycles: to provide additional transport and instil a cycling culture

All these services have one thing in common: the electric bicycle. eBikes make it possible to achieve ambitious goals by offering the population a credible alternative to the car or other public transport.

Complete makeover of Marseille's city bikes

Set up in 2008, the first self-service bicycle service consisted of: 

• 1000 mechanical bikes
• 130 stations

With 930,000 annual trips, bike sharing has definitively been integrated the bicycle into the Marseilles landscape.

In 2019, a new project emerged: that of a 100% electric bike-sharing service. Why? In order to convert a greater number of users in this very hilly city.

The city then decided to meticulously plan the project, which would last almost 4 years, from the prefiguration study in 2019 to the award of the contract in April 2022.

Inurba Mobility, an international specialist in the operation of self-service bicycle hire services, was chosen for the investment, installation and operational management of the service.

Fifteen will supply the electrically assisted bicycles, charging stations and software interfaces.

A new service with a new scope:

- 200 stations instead of 130 (about 200 car parking spaces now rehabilitated as bicycle stations)
- 2,000 electric bicycles

With a new objective: 3 million journeys per year, 3 times more than the old service!

And to achieve this, the city intends to use Fifteen technology, which offers a range of upgradable stations: stations that offer an unprecedented possibility of adapting the service and testing new locations, with a minimum of civil engineering.