Cemusa Closes Roma'n'Bike Due to Rome Government Delays

According to The Roman Forum, Rome's nascent bike-sharing program, Roma'n'Bike, has had the plug pulled by its operator, outdoor advertising company Cemusa.

States The Roman Forum, "Following July last’s inauguration the Spain-based multinational specialising in outdoor public furniture, pulled out of its out-of-pocket sponsorship lamenting the municipal administration’s delays in regulating what should have ultimately turned into a privately run – although competitively priced – bike rental scheme.

"Nine months into the scheme – and almost three months after the expiry of six-month long free trials – Cemusa has – reports daily La Repubblica – tired of the Municipal administration’s ‘dithering’ on the subject of a formal contract.

"Faced with such assertive cold-shouldering mayor Alemanno has pledged to patch things up with Cemusa or, alternatively, hand management of the service over to the city’s public transport company ATAC. Biking associations have threatened to stage a ‘saddled’ protest tomorrow, kicking off at 11 a.m. from Piazza di Spagna."

image credit: Fang Yuxiang

Update as of March 17: Thanks to Blog fan Michele Iurilli, Abitare a Roma reports that due to the public uproar about losing the bike-sharing service, Cemusa changed its mind and is keeping the service running. A meeting was convened by the Office of the Mayor and Cemusa to resolve the matter by the end of March.