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January 22, 2011

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Private locks tarnish bike borrowing project

Shanghai's pioneering project to lend bicycles to the public in Minhang District has hit a snag as some of the bikes have been found with private locks.

An official said they have dispatched about 20 workers with iron pincers to patrol the 57 bicycle stations in the district.

If any private locks are found on the bicycles, they will be cut immediately, the Qibao Town official surnamed Wei told Shanghai Daily.

Wei said the move should be effective because people will have to think twice now before installing a private lock onto a bicycle.

Residents started complaining to media outlets and on Internet forums last month.

A resident surnamed Liu said five of 40 bicycles at the Minzhu Road station usually had private locks, which made it difficult to borrow a bike during peak hours.

The district government should make more bicycles available. If supply is sufficient, there will be no need to install private locks, said another resident surnamed Xu.

The district government plans to add 7,000 bicycles this year to bring the total to 26,000 as the program has proven popular among residents, Li Jianjiang, deputy director of the district's construction and traffic committee said previously.

The district launched the bicycle borrowing project in July 2009.

Many borrowing spots are built near Metro stations.

All Minhang residents aged from 16 to 65 can apply for a card to borrow the bikes. More than 70,000 cards have been issued so far.


 

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