Check out the solutions of London and Lyon at the CICI2010

Lyon invested in bicycles to reduce pollution and London bets on the Olympics to revitalize poor areas

The region of the great Lyon, in France, had significant reduction in car use over the past five years, with the deployment of a system of bike rental for the Vélo'v. In addition to a more human face and less stress in the air, one word would be enough to justify the investment: economy. The four thousand available bicycles ran 60 million kilometers so far, which means that two tons of carbon dioxide ceased to be emitted in that area.

The case of Lyon was presented on the second day of the International Conference on Innovative Cities - CICI2010 by deputy mayor, Jean Michel Daclin at the panel "Remarkable innovation experiences in urban planning, management policies and innovative programs".

Daclin said the system's name reflects its philosophy: a mixture of words Vélo (cycling, in French) and love (in English). Ideal for quick routes, 95% of the use of the system is free for users, since the first half hour is not charged. The result is a more pleasant atmosphere with a high degree of interaction between people and the obvious benefit to the health of the population - due to exercising and cleaner air.

The low cost of the system is due to the partnership between the private and the public power, explained Daclin. The company JCDecaux has implemented and maintains the system in exchange for an exclusive advertising including 800 placards and all the city buses.

Lyon has just over 400 thousand, 70 thousand less than the population growth projected for London 2016, the year that it will host the Olympics. London will then have 8.1 million inhabitants. As the city is preparing for this great sporting event was the approach of the director of the Development of the English capital, Peter Bishop, in the panel. The important, he noted, is to plan investments to be useful after the games.

The Olympics, according to Bishop, will be used as catalysts for London to get the regeneration of poor areas, as it is being done now with the region of East London, which will host the games.

Some of the facilities will be used without modification, for sports. Bishop pointed particularly the Olympic Stadium, with 80 thousand seats. After the Olympics, the space will be suitable for local use, being reduced to 55 thousand seats. Public investment for the infrastructure of the Olympics is about 5.3 billion pounds. But the city has much to gain from it. Bishop reported that 1.7 billion pounds are being destined to recovery and restoration of the urban areas of East London, the Lower Lea Valley.