The start of a new cycle

New York, London and Dallas are cities that are now paying much greater attention to the needs of pedestrians and cyclists. Street revitalisation plans are being drawn up. City squares are being created in places once blighted by car parks. Roads are being narrowed to give more space for pedestrians and cyclists. Across the faces of these cities more greenery is being cultivated and more locations for street cafés are being marked out.Urban planning specialists have noted the major significance of the introduction of the bicycle rental system in these cities for the development of public space and the revival of street life. The first such bike rental point was opened in 1965 in Amsterdam. However, the wider revolution took place at the end of 2008 and early 2009, when they had been installed in fifteen cities around the world. It is estimated that such rental schemes are now operating in 500 cities in 49 countries. Over half a million bicycles are available to city dwellers. Th