On Saturday 12 May 2012 it was exactly a year since the launch of Ljubljana’s self-service bike-borrowing system called BicikeLJ. That year saw 611,218 bike uses.

In the Bicikelj self-service bike-borrowing system, the first year of operations saw a grand total of 32,023 users and 611,218 bike borrowings, an even higher total of uses registered last year by the Citybike system in Vienna, which the City of Ljubljana sees as an example in the field. From the beginning of May last year to the end of April this year, 603,256 bike loans were recorded in Vienna, where users have at their disposal more than three times as many bikes and stations than in Ljubljana.

At the City of Ljubljana and Europlakat, who set up the Bicikelj system as a public-private partnership, the results are a cause of great satisfaction as the number of users exceeded 10% of the population of Ljubljana. That the system is used primarily by residents of and regular visitors to Ljubljana is confirmed by the great number of annual memberships, which amounted to 29,410.

As many as 98% of all borrowings were shorter than one hour and thus free-of-charge, and on average each journey lasted 22 minutes. The best used stations in the Bicikelj system are those at Nama and on Prešeren Square. The highest totals of borrowings were in March (69,469) and September (68,184), while the fewest were in February (23,844) and December (29,325). The record daily number of borrowings was on 9 May, when users made 3,966 journeys. Europlakat maintenance crews made 365 bike transfers from fuller stations to emptier ones. There are three teams on duty for maintenance and bike movements between stations from 6am to 9pm. Users can check the availability of bikes and station parking spaces on terminals at the stations or via applications on their mobile devices.

Bikes in the system are sent for their regular annual service in the winter months. So far, not a single bike has been so badly damaged that it has had to be removed from the system. Mostly the wear and tear is of the minor nature you would expect with regular bike use, such as wheels working themselves loose and needing to be adjusted. Other than two incidents of intentional damage to bikes, since Bicikelj started operations we have not recorded any cases of vandalism. Users treat the bikes with care.

Annual system membership costs €3, which is credited to the user’s account. 30 days before their membership expires, members receive an e-mail advising them of the forthcoming expiry. The subscription is renewed automatically, meaning that their account is debited €3. If the user does not wish to renew, they must notify this to info@bicikelj.si or by regular post to Europlakat’s offices (Koprska ulica 98, Ljubljana). Users that open their account by printed form are advised about the status of their subscription by regular mail.

Bicikelj system support is available to users on the freephone number 080 23 34, while questions, remarks and compliments can be sent by e-mail to info@bicikelj.si.