Beijing to pilot 'e-fence' for shared bike parking

To stop inappropriate parking of shared bikes, Beijing's Dongcheng and Xicheng districts will start a pilot program that designates certain areas fit to park, using hi-tech assistance to enforce related rules.

Dongcheng District will mark 600 sites for parking shared bikes, mainly near bus hubs, subway stations and shopping centers. Users will know from their mobile phone app where to put them. The project will possibly start as early as June.

Dongcheng is also collaborating with leading startups of shared bikes including Mobike, Ofo and Bluegogo to help implement the new parking rules, Beijing News reported.

The system will work as an electronic fence using signal controls. Users who park bikes outside the allowed areas cannot lock them and will continue to be charged. Bike riders will also be guided through their app or navigation voices where to park properly.

The capital has increased its administration of shared bike parking as they become a popular, cheap choice for dodging traffic jams. Haidian, Xicheng and Shijingshan districts have designed some 2,000 parking areas for shared bikes. Xicheng has also singled out 10 streets where riders are banned from parking.