Lagoa council has launched a new system for tourists and locals to rent the latest in electric bicycles as part of the council’s ‘participatory budget’ scheme where locals decide on which fun projects are funded.
Twenty brand new electric bicycles, are fully equipped with GPS and 3G communications so people can follow routes and the operator can see where their bikes are. The new style bicycles and their stands have alarms, anti-theft and anti-vandalism devices fitted.
This transport option can be rented automatically through the use of a membership card or by the use of an App on both iPhone and Android smart phones. There are three main bases, all in prime tourist areas, in Carvoeiro, Ferragudo and Sra da Rocha.
Lagoa residents can have fun too as locals can buy semiannual and annual subscriptions which allow the unlimited use of bicycles.
The bicycles can be used by tourists or visitors with a pass that can run from one day to one month, with prices from €18 per day, also there is an hourly rental rate from €5.
The system has been launched but will be fully operational only in January 2017 and is initially only available to residents. Until the scheme truly goes live, there will be a chance for locals to ‘have a go’ as the organisers promote and publicise the system.
The cost of setting up the scheme has been €125,000, just over half of which has come from the ‘participatory budget’ and to "€60,000 from Wegoshare Lda.
"All the technology behind this system was created by a Portuguese company, BikeEmotion, Lda. Day-to-day operations will be run by the national company Wegoshare, Lda.", according to Lagoa council's statement.
"The operational costs, 'sustainability' and future expansions of the scheme will be financed by advertising revenues and sponsorships, as well as from revenues from bicycle rental," added the council which reported that it now owned the electric vehicles.
Francisco Martins, presidente da Câmara de Lagoa
