BiTiBi

Easy and energy efficient from door to door Bike + Train + Bike

Funding programme: Intelligent Energy Europe

Period: 2014-2016

Web-site: bitibi.eu

Photo gallery: flickr

Intelligent Energy Europe

The BiTiBi project has replicated and scaled the Dutch model of promotion of modal integration of bike-train-bike in Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Spain and the United Kingdom, inspiring other European cities to adopt this multimodal approach to transport.

The project consortium, that gathered railway operators supported by technical partners, has in fact developed pilot projects in different countries, based on these principles:

  • build safe, sheltered, convenient bike parking
  • offer convenient public bikes
  • unite the bike-train organizations
  • integrate payment systems services for bicycle and rail transport
  • communicate proactively the advantages of combining bicycle and train

Our role

Poliedra has coordinated the implementation of the project in the various pilot areas, developing a tool for defining the Action Plan and monitoring the progress of the actions themselves, guaranteeing the timing and correct implementation. In addition, we were the technical partner in the Italian pilot case developed by FerrovieNord, the infrastructure operator of the Lombardy railway network, supporting the promotion of the bike + train intermodality.

Activities

The project has developed marketing and communication activities for the promotion of bicycle services at the stations, encouraging their implementation by the railway operators participating in the project.

In particular, in the Italian pilot FerrovieNord, in addition to testing the feasibility of the BiTiBi concept, has extended it to the entire network of stations it manages, involving the main stakeholders with a participatory approach.

In 2015-2016, the collaboration between Poliedra and FerrovieNord led to the implementation of the following activities:

  • inauguration of the Como Borghi velostazione during the European Mobility Week (22/09/15), whose access is regulated through the integrated card of railway subscription;
  • plan of realization of a network of velostazioni starting the works in 11 stations;
  • implementation of a system for the automatic monitoring of the use of the stations;
  • periodic monitoring of the use of velostazioni and bike-sharing, through a continuous exchange with the various local actors;
  • organization of the “Bike-Train-Celebrate!” events that took place in the Bollate Centro, Bollate Nord and Como Borghi bike stations in June 2016;
  • courses about bicycle repair and to learn how to ride a bike.

Poliedra also organized the national seminar on the bike-train intermodality that involved a hundred stakeholders interested in promoting this form of sustainable transport.

Results

Over the three years of the project, BiTiBi has shown that the actions implemented in the pilot areas have real potential in terms of modal shift from car to the bike + train combination.

To calculate the impact of BiTiBi at the European level, a 2030 scenario was constructed, assuming that a 20% share of train commuters would use the bicycle to reach their station (half of what is currently in the Netherlands). Considering a basic investment for the installation of racks and the various social benefits, there would be a 400% return on investment. In other words, society would benefit four times from the investment made.

The project has also increased the awareness of railway operators with respect to the potential of being part of an international consortium, with the aim of promoting innovation and sustainability.