By Alexandre G. Posted December 23, 2020 at 5:19 p.m. Updated December 23, 2020 at 5:20 p.m.
As revealed on Wednesday, December 23, 2020 Le Canard Enchaîné, the operator Smovengo would have requested an extension of 50% of the amount negotiated with the City of Paris when the operation of self-service bicycles in the capital resumed, there is now almost 3 years old. If the mayor of Paris does not pay, the company threatens to cease its activities.
Will we still be able to use Vélib ‘in Paris in 2021? This is the question that Parisians are entitled to ask themselves this Wednesday 23 December 2020, after the revelations of Chained duck relayed by BFMTV. According to his information, operator Smovengo who had taken over the operation of Vélib to the former service provider JCDecaux at the end of 2017 would require a bonus of 240 million euros at Paris City Hall.
An impressive sum, which corresponds to an increase of 20 million euros per year until 2032, compared to the sum paid each year by the municipality to the operator. Concretely, the Chained Duck reveals that I’m moving claim a 50% extension of the initial amount negotiated with the Paris City Hall. Of new Vélib ‘ who would be, according to Parisians, much less functional and practical. The self-service bicycle operator in the capital shows a loss of turnover of 80 million euros, over three years.
In case of refusal, the company threatens the City of Paris to cease operations and maintenance of the service. Faced with this thorny problem, the Paris town hall boot for the moment in touch. Questioned by the duck, his services only indicate that the municipality remains “very attached to the existence of a public service at an affordable price for all of its users“. Since the deconfinement, the Vélib ‘service has attracted fewer and fewer Parisians and annual subscriptions are at half mast.
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