• Since Monday, 20 scooters and 20 bicycles are available in self-service between Polytech and Gachet.

  • A solution to alleviate a lack of transport in this sector frequented by students, employees and inhabitants always more numerous.

It is a small revolution in the world of Nantes public transport.

While the City of the Dukes is one of the only large cities in France to prohibit the services of

free-floating

scooters (and bicycles)

, these machines will however officially land from this Monday north-east of Nantes.

But beware, their use will be particularly regulated ... Here is what you need to know.

What does this new service consist of?

Spread over six stations in the Chantrerie sector, 20 bicycles and 20 electric scooters are now available for short-term rental.

The objective of Semitan, which is piloting this experiment, is to offer the ever-increasing number of students, employees and residents of the district a complementary transport solution, beyond the C6 terminus, between the Polytech school and Gachet.

"People sometimes give up taking this Chronobus because they have 800 meters or a kilometer to walk behind," observes Bertrand Affilé, vice-president in charge of transport at Nantes Métropole.

This service has been worked with higher education institutions and companies.

"

In concrete terms, how does that work ?

You just need to download the Captain Bike application to access the service, accessible from 14 years old.

The first 15 minutes are free (the rate is then 10 cents / minute) but a GPS will ensure that you do not venture too far ... "The user will receive a notification, then a phone call, if he leaves. this perimeter of approximately 2km2, indicates the Semitan.

A financial penalty may be applied.

»In any case, you have to put your scooter down at one of the terminals to end the trip (and right next to it for bikes, option chosen to avoid the risk of full stations).

A minute stop system is however provided the time to make a race.

Is twenty bikes and twenty scooters enough?

As for the perimeter, pricing, location or even the rebalancing of stations, the number of equipment in circulation may change according to the feedback from the 20 user testers responsible for evaluating the service.

"It's a good idea, but the risk is that the first to arrive in the morning will be the first served", fears Antonin, 28 years old, living in the city center, who takes 45 minutes (including about ten on foot) to reach the hotel. veterinary school Oniris.

A first evaluation is planned in two months.

The experiment should last two years with the possibility, already mentioned, of eventually increasing to 40 bikes and 40 scooters.

Is this a first step to the more massive arrival of scooters in Nantes?

The service can be duplicated in other districts of the city on the condition that it responds to a well-identified transport problem, responds Semitan.

But the metropolis ensures that its position on

free floating

, seen as unfair competition in Bicloo with a risk of anarchic occupation of public space, has not changed.

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