NARRATOR:
You will hear two students, Jake and Amy, discussing city bike-sharing schemes for a university report.
NARRATOR:
First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 24.
NARRATOR:
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.
JAKE:
Now that we have gathered the case studies, we need to decide how to organize our report on urban bike-sharing.
AMY:
Let's begin with the main benefits.
AMY:
These schemes let people collect a bicycle near one part of a city and return it somewhere else, so they can use one without owning it.
JAKE:
That convenience matters, although the charges are not always low enough for regular users.
AMY:
True, but if some commuters cycle instead of driving, there are fewer cars competing for space.
AMY:
That can make a noticeable difference on crowded roads.
JAKE:
Yes, reducing traffic must be one of the strongest arguments for a scheme.
AMY:
And people who would otherwise sit in a car or on a bus get some exercise.
AMY:
Even short journeys can increase their daily activity.
JAKE:
I'd put that alongside the traffic benefit.
JAKE:
It affects a large number of users and may continue for years.
AMY:
Cleaner air is another possible advantage, though the evidence is uneven because buses, delivery vans, and other vehicles still produce most of the emissions in some cities.
JAKE:
Right, so we should mention it, but not present it as one of the two most important benefits.
AMY:
What about our recommendations for making schemes successful?
JAKE:
Some operators spend a lot on sophisticated bicycles with satellite locators.
JAKE:
They are useful if a bike disappears, but I don't think every bicycle has to have one.
AMY:
What people really need is an app that works properly.
AMY:
If booking or paying becomes complicated, they simply give up.
JAKE:
The software has to be straightforward as well as reliable.
AMY:
Several reports argue that a city should complete a huge network of protected routes before launching the bikes.
JAKE:
Good routes help, certainly.
JAKE:
But a few schemes have attracted plenty of users before the network was finished.
JAKE:
I wouldn't call that essential.
AMY:
And I see no reason to insist on a single operator.
AMY:
Two companies can compete successfully if their systems are compatible.
JAKE:
The other essential point is communication.
JAKE:
Residents need a clear campaign showing where the bikes are, how to hire them, and why the scheme is worthwhile.
AMY:
Without proper publicity, even a technically excellent system may be ignored.
NARRATOR:
Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 25 to 30.
NARRATOR:
Now listen and answer questions 25 to 30.
AMY:
Shall we move on to the individual cities and summarize our opinions of their schemes?
JAKE:
Let's start with Amsterdam.
JAKE:
Cycling was already part of everyday life there, and most residents seem to have their own bicycles.
AMY:
Which is why I didn't expect shared bikes to attract so many journeys.
JAKE:
The level of demand is remarkable given how many private bicycles there are.
AMY:
Dublin is interesting, too.
AMY:
I think visitors made the scheme popular because they wanted an easy way to get around the center.
JAKE:
But I think low membership fees explain the success.
JAKE:
The buses and trams already cover most central routes.
AMY:
So we disagree about the main reason in that case.
AMY:
What shall we say about London?
JAKE:
The system is dependable and well-maintained, but it has not reached enough outer districts.
AMY:
More money needs to go into additional docking points and safer connections between them.
JAKE:
Buenos Aires gives us the opposite kind of example.
JAKE:
The city added cycling routes, docking stations, and the payment system as one coordinated project.
AMY:
That careful planning is probably why large numbers of new cyclists began using it so quickly.
JAKE:
New York made a serious mistake with its initial charges.
JAKE:
A short rental could cost more than another form of transport.
AMY:
We both thought that price would put many potential users off, however attractive the bicycles were.
JAKE:
On paper it looked ideal.
JAKE:
Pleasant weather in many months, a growing center, and plenty of tourists.
AMY:
Yet the number of journeys stayed low.
AMY:
I found the result disappointing.
JAKE:
It achieved far less than we expected, although perhaps later investment will improve it.
AMY:
We have our examples.
AMY:
Let's now decide how much space each city should receive in the report and then divide the writing between us.
NARRATOR:
That is the end of Part 3.
NARRATOR:
You now have one minute to check your answers to Part 3.
