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London started its first bike hire scheme on July 30th. Transport For London (TFL), the responsible for moving people around England’s capital, put 5,000 bicycles in 400 different around the city. The idea is to traffic, reduce pollution and provide a way of getting around London’s streets. The scheme had a few problems on its first day as people could not lock the bikes once they had finished riding them. As a gesture of goodwill, London Mayor Boris Johnson announced all rentals on the first day would be free of . The bikes are available for free for the first 30 minutes but costs go up thereafter. Renters have to pay $1.60 for the first hour and $78 for 24 hours. The bikes are designed for very short trips.

TFL says it sees a "cycle " happening in London. It there will be around 40,000 new cycle every day on the rental bikes. Mr Jonson says he wants to see a return to the of the 20th century, when 20 per cent of journeys in London were made by bicycle. The scheme has received a lot of feedback in the first two days. Many Londoners believe it is a great to London’s overcrowded and trains and buses. One commuter, Andy Clark, told the Reuters news agency: "It's a great idea. I've seen it in Paris and Barcelona and thought why don't we have one?" The Londonist Blog said the bikes were very and were “designed to withstand a beating from both cyclists and drunken vandals”.