Paris's 'Freedom Bikes'
"Paris's 'Freedom Bikes' now fill the streets with a fleet of 15,000 bicycles supported by 1,200 cycling stations. Consequently, cycling in the city of lights has increased by nearly 50 per cent over the past five years, helping to reduce carbon emissions by nine per cent. But Paris's Freedom Bikes are only one aspect of its new transport plan. Paris is renovating squares, widening sidewalks and building more bike lanes to improve transport, but also to revitalize community life in public spaces."
Chris Webb. "Bamboo bikes," New Internationalist. Nov. 2008, 25.