Appraising the market for bicycle sharing schemes: Perceived service quality, satisfaction, and behavioural intention in London

The implementation of bicycle sharing schemes represents an important innovation in urban public transport since the turn of the millennium. These schemes have spread rapidly and are now present in cities with varying economic, environmental, and structural conditions. Developing strategies through which to attract new members to join the scheme and retain existing members is a fundamental requirement for scheme success. The research reported in this paper provides guidance on this issue through a case study appraisal of the experiences that existing members have with the London Bicycle Sharing Scheme. This appraisal focuses on how the quality of service is perceived by members, their overall level of satisfaction with the scheme, their behavioural intentions toward renewing their memberships, and their willingness to recommend the scheme to others. A market segmentation analysis is produced which identifies the presence of four heterogeneous member groups. These member segments are profiled according to their demographic, psychographic, and behavioural characteristics. Through a detailed appreciation of the defining features of these member segments, strategies are proposed which are tailored to their specific needs and expectations.