European Index Annual Review
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The European Index Annual Review 2024 has dropped!

In the latest European Index, supported by Aon, Lyft Urban Solutions, EIT Urban Mobility and the POLIS Network, we found that:

👉 The European market has grown to 940,000 vehicles
👉 Ridership is up 5%
👉 End-user revenue has reached €2.1 billion

Consolidation has given rise to dominant European players and regional champions who now face a new, yet familiar, type of competition: station-based bikes.

And the rules of the game have changed.

Winning no longer means simply deploying the largest fleet and winning the hearts of users – it now requires convincing city authorities that they serve the best interests of citizens.

Station-based bike operators will argue that a proper investment into their system will make free-floating options unnecessary. Their key argument? Physical docks better regulate the use of public space. In September 2024, the city of Madrid banned dockless bikes and scooters in favour of its own public bike-sharing system, BiciMAD.

On the other hand, free-floating bike and scooter operators offer a flexible and convenient service at no cost to the city—in fact, they often generate additional revenue for municipalities. In London, the growing popularity of dockless bike services Lime and Forest is calling the future viability of Santander Cycles into question.

For now, station-based schemes hold the upper hand, but will free-floating services become too popular and compelling to resist?