EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Aveiro Free Bicycle Service

Aveiro Free Bicycle Service - Portugal -

Introduction

Brief description of document BUGA (Bicicleta de Utilização Gratuita de Aveiro) is a service destined to give the inhabitants of Aveiro, or those visiting, a pleasant, healthy and ecological way of discovering the city, getting about or working.

Problem

BUGA aims to promote the use of the bicycle and discourage the use of the car particularly over short distances in the centre of the city.
Results BUGA is a Câmara Municipal de Aveiro project based on a bicycle which is clearly identifiable and exclusive (in order to discourage theft), made with simple technology adapted to intensive use in an urban environment, robust and easy to repair but attractive and modern.

There are circa 200 bicycles, which, by August 2001, had been used by over 50,000 citizens; the project has been well accepted and received substantial media coverage.

Description

BUGA is part of a series of municipal initiatives included in the Aveiro Mobility Plan, the Municipal Plan for the Environment and Urban Objectives. Moveaveiro, the Municipal Mobility Company, was incorporated into the project on 1st April 2005.

Approach

The BUGA project has a network of 20 parking lots strategically placed around the city according to cycle demand as well as the most sought-after destinations such as services or infrastructures (Library, Cultural Centre, Sports Facilities, Parks and Gardens…)

Beneficiaries

All the inhabitants and visitors to the city of Aveiro.

Resources used

MoveBuga employs one member of staff at the Loja BUGA, and one operator and a mechanic at the MoveAveiro workshop. In addition to this it has a partnership with Aveiro University which provides staff to guarantee the weekend service. On the other hand there is also an agreement with the Rota da Luz Tourism Office and the IPJ (Instituto Português da Juventude) to guarantee the service during the summer when there is most demand.

Contact info

MoveAveiro – Empresa Municipal de Mobilidade, EM
Miguel Caeiro (director of MoveAveiro), tel. +351 234 380 560

Project start date

01/04/2000

Cities

On account of its proximity to the sea and the estuary the city of Aveiro is very flat; with circa 70,000 inhabitants it has a very young population (there are about 10,000 students at the University). There is a long-standing tradition of using the bicycle as a means of transport (although it was disappearing during the last decades).

Links

Visit the MoveAveiro website

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Community development

Keywords

Citizenship