Outdoor

Maisie McCabe, Media Week, 10 March 2009, 2:35pm

TfL's cycle plan hits the buffers

LONDON - The future of Mayor of London Boris Johnson's planned cycle hire scheme is under threat, with JCDecaux not interested in taking part and Clear Channel currently undecided.

Barry Sayer, chief executive, Clear Channel Outdoor UK and Ireland

Outdoor firms run similar schemes in other major cities, including JCDecaux in Paris.

Under TfL's current plan, people will be able to pick up and drop off bikes for hire at 400 locations across nine London boroughs from May 2010. The scheme will not be funded by ads and will be paid for on a fee basis by Transport for London.

Barry Sayer, chief executive, Clear Channel Outdoor UK and Ireland, said: "Being an outdoor ad firm, Clear Channel would prefer ad rates as a source of revenue. We're yet to see the full tender document, but will make a decision based on that."

JCDecaux declined to comment.

A Transport for London spokesperson said: "Far from being under threat, the cycle hire scheme in London is in great shape. We’ve had a good deal of interest in running the scheme from a number of possible operators and the cycle hire scheme will be on the streets of London in May 2010.