Evolution of Public Bike-Sharing Systems in India
Cities Forum peer-reviewed a major study on the planning and implementation of Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) systems across Indian cities, on behalf of GIZ.
Year: 2022–2023 | Client: GIZ | Country: India
Cities Forum peer-reviewed a major study on the planning and implementation of Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) systems across Indian cities, on behalf of GIZ. Public bike-sharing has the potential to transform short-distance urban travel, extending the reach of public transport, cutting emissions and improving health, yet its track record in Indian cities has been mixed, making a clear-eyed assessment of what works, and why, especially valuable. Cities Forum's role as expert peer reviewer was to bring international experience and analytical rigour to bear on that assessment.
Our approach
The study Cities Forum reviewed examined the evolution of PBS in India across several dimensions. It explored the benefits such systems can deliver, from first- and last-mile connectivity and reduced car dependence to environmental and public-health gains, and considered the growing role of electric bicycles and electric scooters in extending the appeal and range of shared micromobility. It also addressed the regulatory considerations that shape wider adoption, from permitting and public-space allocation to operating models, data and the balance between public and private provision.
What we delivered
As peer reviewer, Cities Forum brought a critical, constructive perspective: testing the robustness of the study's evidence and conclusions, benchmarking its findings against international good practice, and helping ensure that its recommendations were realistic and actionable in the Indian context. This kind of expert quality assurance strengthens the credibility and usefulness of a study that policymakers and cities will rely on, and reflects the trust placed in Cities Forum's judgement on active-mobility systems.
Impact
Through this engagement, Cities Forum contributed to a more grounded understanding of how public bike-sharing can be planned and implemented successfully in Indian cities, including the emerging role of electric micromobility and the regulatory conditions for wider adoption. For the firm, it reinforced its expertise in active and shared mobility and its role as a trusted technical partner to GIZ, able to add value not only by producing analysis, but by rigorously reviewing and improving the work of others in service of better mobility outcomes.
