February 16, 2021 - The Split public bicycle system continues to set new records, with new stations and bikes on the way.

Dalmatinski Portal reports that in December, the Split public bicycle system welcomed a total of 10,241 rentals, in January over 13,000, and in the first 12 days of February, 8,835 rentals were already realized. In recent months, the number of users has also increased significantly, with 1,137 new users in December, 985 in January, and 681 new users since the beginning of February. If we add the results so far, a total of over 110,000 rentals have been realized since the beginning, and over 14,500 users have registered.

This weekend, five more new stations have enhanced the public bicycle system in Split. Thus, the latest active locations are Bračka, Brda - Ravne Njive, City Centar One, Kocunar, and Neslanovac. A total of 46 stations are now available to users, and most bicycles from the new contingent have been opened to traffic.

The latest expansion of the system has contributed to the growth in the number of rentals and users, and the trend is expected to continue. In January, despite somewhat colder weather, the record in the number of daily rentals was broken, which was repeated in February and now amounts to 870 rentals per day.

"The citizens' initial reactions to the system were excellent, and the demand grew, which is why we decided to expand it. The goal of the system and its expansion are primarily to provide an alternative form of transportation that is faster, healthier, and cheaper. For 200 kuna a year, you can ride an unlimited number of times for up to 30 minutes, which is enough in Split to get from one desired location to another. This is, I believe, an extremely affordable form of mobility. We are now talking about an average of about 400 rentals per day, which puts Split at the very top in terms of use in Croatia and the region. We continue to monitor the needs of citizens and adapt and improve our service," said Marko Bartulić, director of Split Parking.

To complete the planned expansion, five more stations are to be set up, for which alternative locations had to be sought. Then the necessary documentation and approvals were obtained. This is at Gajo Bulat Square, where the station was installed, and the technical setups need to be resolved before commissioning, the elementary school Žnjan Pazdigrad, elementary school Kamen Šine, Mertojak near the Health Center, and Sirobuja. Their installation is expected by the end of the month, and the system will then count a total of 51 stations across the city.

A new price list for the public bicycle system is in operation, which also offers new options such as a weekly subscription and renting two bicycles at the same time through one user account for all weekly and annual subscribers. The yearly subscription price and all the benefits it includes remains the same, i.e., 200 kuna per year, and consists of an unlimited number of rides of up to 30 minutes.

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November 20, 2020 - The Split public bicycle network has considerably grown this week thanks to the addition of 194 new classic and electric bicycles! 

One-hundred-ninety-four new public bicycles were presented in the Split City Port on Thursday. This is a project to expand the public bicycle network and continue the investment of the City of Split and "Split parking" in the increasingly popular form of public transport. Today, the total number of public bicycles in Split has risen to 280, and the number of stations to 51, announced the City of Split.

Mayor Andro Krstulović Opara did not hide his satisfaction either, saying that "the numbers speak for themselves".

"It doesn't take long for some to be skeptical and reserved about this project. However, we are the first city in Croatia in terms of the number of public bicycles. We are working on urban and sustainable mobility. We returned the bicycles to the citizens and the public space. Of course, we are facing the construction of infrastructure and new paths and routes for cyclists, including the one from the Port Authority building to Trstenik. With this system, as well as the new ecological Promet Split buses, we have practically remodeled public transport in our city," said the mayor.

The director of "Split parking," Marko Bartulić, stated that the network of public bicycles in Split proved to be a complete success. As many as 11 thousand bicycle subscribers, of which 80 percent are citizens of Split, since the beginning of this system's introduction, have cycled the equivalent of 8 circles around the Earth!

"We bring a network of public bicycles to every city district. This gave us an alternative, that is, a serious public transport system. In this new expansion, we have 136 new electric bicycles, because due to the configuration of the terrain in Split, it has been shown that users prefer electric bicycles," said director Bartulić.

Recall, the City of Split introduced a system of public bicycles through the EU project REMEDIO in July 2019, when, with the financial contribution of Split Parking, which recognized the importance of introducing an alternative form of public transport, launched a system of public bicycles with a mixed contingent of bicycles.

One-hundred-seventy bicycles (120 electric and 50 classic) and 35 stations from the contingent presented on Thursday are financed and installed by the city company Split parking, and the City of Split provided another 24 bicycles (16 electric and 8 classic) and four stations through the EU project TOMORROW.

The City of Split, together with the cities of the Urban Agglomeration of Split, and with the technical and professional assistance of the Development Agency Split - RaST, announced a project to introduce and improve the system of public bicycles through the ITU mechanism of the urban agglomeration of Split, through which the procurement of 16 more terminals with 50 electric and 20 classic bicycles for the city of Split, will connect Split with other cities in the agglomeration.

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September 16, 2020 - The company "Split parking" has been approved a maximum of 75 thousand kuna without VAT for the purchase of electric bicycles after applying to the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund's public call co-finance the purchase of energy-efficient vehicles.

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that the maximum subsidy of the state institution is 5,000 kuna per vehicle on two wheels, which means that the Fund will subsidize a total of 15 of the 120 already ordered electric bicycles that should arrive on the streets of Split at the end of October. Since the vehicles that can be rented in our city are more expensive than the mentioned amount of support, the rest of the value will be paid by the utility company.

"Funds are intended to increase energy efficiency in transport, and the project achieves energy savings and reduces emissions of greenhouse gases and other harmful substances," says Split parking.

This, they say, is in line with Split Parking's plans to promote alternative forms of transport in Split, which from month to month, holds the position of a record holder in Croatia in the use of public bicycles, so new bicycles will certainly provoke positive reactions from residents.

"When we saw the tender, we immediately decided to prepare all the necessary documentation and apply and use the opportunity for subsidies. We have been up to date enough, and the funds are there now. According to the contract, we are obliged to spend the funds within a year, but since the bikes have already been ordered because we planned to increase the number of bikes in the public bike system, it will happen much earlier," said Split parking.

In addition to the purchase of new electric bicycles, Split parking will also purchase 50 classic bikes. All of them will find their place at the new stations set up in the city's busiest locations. Preparatory works should start at the end of September, and about 35 new stations are planned.

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July 4, 2020 - The first ten child seats in Croatia were set up on public bicycles in Split, where records Nextbike records have been broken for months. These are the first child seats installed on public bikes in Croatia, intending to enable parents to enjoy a safe ride with their little ones. The use of the seats is free of charge.

The news was reported by Goran Grgurinovic from the Public Relations Department of Split Parking, the city company responsible for the public bicycle system. The child seats have all the approvals and are designed to transport children from 9 to 72 months, and weigh from 9 to a maximum of 22 kilograms, reports Slobodna Dalmacija. 

A quick start guide will be posted on each child seat, and instructions will also be available on the Split Parking website. The system is very simple and intuitive, and within the application when renting a bike, it is possible to choose one with a child seat.

"The most important thing is to fasten the seat belts in the child seat carefully and not to leave the child unattended at any time, and to provide the children with helmets when riding in the seats. Safety is our number one priority," said Ante Gustin, CEO of Nexbike.

Split Parking said that they are extremely satisfied because they started this project with Nextbike and, in a short time, provided the initial number of child seats and satisfied inquiries from users. If the need arises, with the new bikes planned, an additional number of seats will be procured.

"Such child seats are already used in many European cities and I am glad that in Split, parents have the opportunity to be the first in Croatia to enjoy a safe ride with their children and on public bicycles. The safety of our youngest needs to come first for all of us, so I urge all adults and parents to behave responsibly and follow the instructions for use so that they can enjoy the ride carefreely," said Marko Bartulic, director of Split Parking.

The use of bicycles equipped with child seats is the same as for ordinary bicycles. When planning a ride without a child, users are asked to choose a regular bicycle so that bicycles with child seats are available for parents with children.

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June 5, 2020 - In May, in addition to the city record, the citizens of Split also broke the Croatian record in the monthly number of public bicycle rentals. A total of 9,168 rentals were achieved in Split, which is twice as many as in April, when there were 4,544 rentals. In total, since the beginning of 2020, over 25,000 rentals have been made in Split.

Dalmatinski Portal reports that the largest number of rentals was made by locals, or 96 percent of them. Last month, a total of 1,436 new users were registered in the system, while the total number of registered users is 7,075, of which 84 percent are domestic users. The station with the most rentals in May is the Riva, followed by Žnjan, Split 3, Zvončac, Spinut and others.

Given the growing number of new users and rentals from Split Parking, they call on all cyclists, but also drivers of cars, motorcycles and other vehicles, to be extra careful and responsible when driving. This especially refers to the way bicycles are used and the transport of children on bicycles, which, they emphasize, is prohibited with the existing offer of bicycles. But with the system operator, Nextbike, they found a solution so that parents with children could also use bicycles. These are child seats, and a number will be set soon.

"Nicer and warmer weather is coming and we expect that the numbers will continue to grow and that is why we appeal to users to use bicycles responsibly and correctly, as stated in the instructions. This means that it is forbidden to ride with another person on a bicycle, especially children. We warn about this because we want to protect our youngest, and we will soon install a number of bicycles with child seats that will enable safe transportation. If it turns out that there is an increased interest, as we procure new bicycles, we will also procure additional seats. We also ask drivers to pay attention to cyclists," said Marko Bartulić, director of Split Parking.

The figures show that users have created the habit of using bicycles and that they are becoming a favorite means of transport for more and more citizens from month to month. The company says that the use of bicycles is good for health and environmental protection, it is cheaper and faster, and the use of bicycles ensures the necessary social distance. In order to meet the growing demand, the entire system is being improved, which will set up about 40 new stations and 175 new bicycles in Split by the end of the year. This will give each district at least one station, and all-important institutions and frequency locations will be covered.

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May 26, 2020 -  Parklio barriers have been set up in 42 reserved parking spaces in front of nine hotels in Split to help prevent further misuse of these parking spaces.

Dalmacija Danas reports that this is the result of Split Parking's initiative, whose idea was to offer a unified and Smart City solution that will eventually become the standard. Barriers were procured and installed by Split Parking, and users whose places are set up for their maintenance will pay an additional monthly fee in addition to the already existing price of the reserved parking space.

These barriers are locally produced and are a step forward in the world of the parking industry and are the most technologically advanced product of its kind. The barrier battery has a solar charge, and the barrier itself is controlled on smart devices, allowing you to share digital keys via the app with the option to automatically close it when the vehicle leaves, for an absolutely worry-free experience for the end-user.

Split Parking said that in the past year since the City of Split gave them jurisdiction over the reserved parking spaces for hotels, they detected a number of problems in the use of these spaces, the most common being illegal use, but also a large number of different solutions that then stand out from the environment and each other. To put an end to this, in cooperation with the Split company Parklio, they found a solution, to which all hotels and users of reserved parking spaces quickly agreed.

"For several years, we have been focused on Smart City solutions, and we want to keep up with the latest technology and thus bring order to traffic and parking in Split. We started with the Split Parking app and installing sensors, and now we have set up smart barriers. We are glad that we had the opportunity to do it in cooperation with our Split company Parklio. By installing these barriers, we have ensured the uninterrupted use of reserved spaces for their users, and we have protected the company and the City from potential lawsuits and provocations," said Marko Bartulić, director of Split Parking.

Parklio has won numerous awards for innovation for many years and is in over 35 countries around the world, but they say that this is certainly their favorite delivery, as barriers in their own city solve the problem of parking for all hotels.

"Once you actually see the added value that this product provides, we are convinced that this will be just the beginning of cooperation that will enrich the offer of the city of Split. All Parklio products are fully developed in Split and we really have to take the opportunity to praise the progressive thinking of Split Parking and their decision to work with a local company with a production plant in Split to solve the burning problem of the city in a very modern way," said Dario Boras director Parklio.

In the future, the goal is to set the same barriers in all reserved parking spaces in Split (courts, museums, tax administration, embassies, consulates, etc.).

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April 30, 2020 - Split Parking and Nextbike have teamed up to ensure more citizens use cycling as a form of transportation this spring, and all they need to do is register by the end of May.

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that at times when increased caution is needed and the epidemiological experts call for social distance, bicycles have proven to be the ideal means of transportation, at least in Split.

The numbers confirm that.

Namely, the daily record of rentals was broken with 322 rentals last Saturday since the system was put into operation a little over a year ago.

Also, the last week ended with 1,437 rentals, making it one of the best weeks by the number of rentals, with a record number of new users in April, 1,122 to April 27.

In order to continue the positive trend, Split Parking and Nextbike have allowed all future users of these public city bikes the chance to activate their monthly seasonal subscription for free.

The 30-day campaign includes an unlimited number of daily rides for up to 30 minutes.

For 30 days, the citizens of Split will be able to use the free trial to see how Nextbike works on a daily basis. All you need to do is enter the code SPLIT2020 after your account is activated, and the offer runs until May 31, 2020.

Split Parking said that they were pleased that citizens recognized the benefits of this type of transport, especially in today's environment, where it is recommended to avoid crowds and large numbers of people in the same place. Cycling has thus become one of the safest forms of transportation.

"It's a good time, citizens are eager to get outdoors, and there are still obligations that must be fulfilled, as people have to go to work, to the doctor, to the shop, and bikes can make it safer, faster and cheaper. Certainly, we must not forget the environmental component of this form of transport. We also expect the April figures to break past results," said Marko Bartulić, director of Split Parking.

They also stressed that all safety and security measures are implemented on a daily basis and that bicycles and stations are regularly cleaned and disinfected with special means, while repairers wear all necessary protective equipment, all to ensure maximum protection for all users.

In order to meet the increasing demand, the entire system will soon be upgraded, which includes setting up around 40 new stations and 175 new bicycles by the end of the year.

This will give each district at least one station and all major institutions and locations will be covered.

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October 14, 2019 - Just over two months ago, the City of Split, in cooperation with Split Parking, launched a public bicycle system in the city - and the results indicate that this mode of transportation certainly has room for further development.

Namely, between mid-July and the end of September, a total of 2,886 bike rentals were made, with locals accounting for as much as 60.9 percent. More than half of the rentals (or 1865) were made in September alone, recording three times or 200% more rentals than August.

When it comes to the number of registered users, there are currently 1400 of which 52.6 percent are local. The most frequent location to rent bikes is the station on the Riva, followed by Stari plac, Spinut and Split 3, and Sukoišanska, Kampus, Žnjan, and next to Joker.

Eight stations have been set up so far, with 50 bikes available - 20 electric and 30 classic. Split Parking said they were satisfied with the results and that the figures clearly show that there is interest in this mode of transport.

“From this short period and the pilot project, we can conclude that our fellow citizens have identified bicycles as part of the urban mobility system. We offered them an alternative and in a short time, they started using it. It is not realistic to expect that Split will become Amsterdam.

We do not have that topography or mentality, but it is a cheaper, faster and more environmentally friendly way to get around the city. We are preparing documentation based on where we will place a significant number of bicycles and stations in the next year.

Of course, Split needs to continue to develop bicycle paths and the entire cycling infrastructure, which will make this service, above all, even safer, better quality, and acceptable to an increasing number of users. We have a long way to go in changing the habits and dominance of driving cars, and getting used to and respecting bicycles in traffic, but we are headed in that direction and the first results are encouraging. Next year will be followed by significant investment and organizational challenges for our company,” said Marko Bartulić, director of Split Parking.

By the end of October, a new contingent of 32 bikes (20 classic and 12 electric) should arrive in Split, as well as four new stations worth around 700,000 kuna financed by Split Parking. Next year, the plan is to set up several dozen new terminals to meet the stated goal that every district has at least one station and that bicycles are easily accessible to everyone, said Split Parking.

Nextbike operates the system, and Split is one of 20 cities in Croatia that has implemented it so far. No major damage has been reported yet, and cases of missing bicycles have been reported several times, most often when a user leaves the bicycle in a location other than the check-out location.

Two bicycle thefts were also reported, one of which was found, and another was filed against an unknown perpetrator. Additional bicycle protection will also be provided by GPS. In cooperation with repairers, regular changes are made to the codes on the bike padlocks, stations are inspected, the bikes are inspected and switched as necessary, and any irregularities found are recorded and corrected.

The City of Split is one of the partners in the EU project 'REMEDIO', from the INTERREG MEDITERAN program, which aims to encourage the use of low-carbon transport, to reduce road congestion and CO2 emissions in traffic.

EU funding for the first year of operation was provided through the project. During this period, users can enjoy the system for 30 minutes a day for free, with mandatory registration or an activated account. User account activation is required for security and to ensure the availability of the system to a large number of users while minimizing possible misuse.

Registration is free of charge, and the accoun activation costs 5 kuna and is valid for the entire Nextbike system anywhere in the world, while the stated amount remains available in the user's account for all additional rides. The cost of using the bike is 5 kuna every half hour for a classic bike or 10 kuna for an electric bike.

The subscription price is 200 kuna, valid for one year and includes an unlimited number of free 30-minute bike rides, while users ‘pay as you go' for extra rides.

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October 8, 2019 - In addition to saving financially, Split Parking is raising environmental awareness in the city of Split.

Splitski Dnevnik writes that as part of the Electric Mobility Project, the Split Parking utility company has installed new charging stations for electric vehicles at five locations in Split, and has purchased four Renault Kangoo electric vehicles and two OPAI electric scooters. The new vehicles, the company said, will bring significant financial savings and, more importantly, will use two to five thousand liters of fossil fuel less per vehicle annually, which will reduce emissions and contribute to maintaining the city's air quality.

It is estimated that electric vehicles can travel about 250 kilometers with a single charge, and Split Parking officials say it is estimated that one mobile team consumes the value of an electric vehicle in five years. The EU's mobility market is growing at rates of over 100 percent a year, and this is part of the path that Split parking as a company has already taken, as they want to catch up to the rest of Europe when it comes to urban mobility, which also includes electric mobility.

Split Parking

“Given the nature of the business, our mobile teams travel hundreds of kilometers every day, so electric vehicles were a logical step. In our work, we want to reduce the negative impact of transportation on people, health, and the environment, which is what we are doing. That is why, in cooperation with the City of Split, we have recently launched a public electric bicycle system, which is showing good results for the time being and will be expanded soon. We continue to work on projects that will allow our citizens easier, faster, and healthier transportation from one place to another,” said Marko Bartulić, director of Split Parking.

Charging stations for electric vehicles are set up at the following locations: Ruđer Bošković garage, Simić garage, Smiljanić garage, Sukoišan garage, and the Pauk service. In the garages of Ruđer Bošković and Sukoišan, Type B charging stations were installed, with a capacity of 2 × 22 kW, on which two electric vehicles can be charged at the same time, and in addition to the users of the garages above, they are accessible to all drivers. The other three locations have one A (1 × 22 kW) charging station installed and are currently available to users of these garages. In addition to the five newly installed charging stations of Split Parking, there are presently only two public charging stations for electric vehicles in the city of Split. The plan is also to install additional charging stations so that all parking lots and garages under the management of Split parking will be equipped with this service, the company said.

The charging stations are fully connected to the largest international eRoaming platform HUBJECT, which brings together over one hundred charging companies and enables the active access and promotion of charging stations to more than three hundred thousand users of electric vehicles from the European Union. There is full integration with the central regional portal Puni.hr to advertise locations, search, book, and use electric vehicle charging stations.

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Residents of the Split Old Town, especially those who live inside Diocletian's Palace and the narrow area around it, will be granted free parking.

The proposal was unanimously adopted on Monday, and residents of the Old Town will soon have free parking in the first zone. Thus, instead of the parking lot in Stari Plac, they will use the parking lot at Trg Hrvatske bratske zajednice. The amendment also introduced a measure that would not allow cars to be left for more than 24 hours in one place, reports Splitski Dnevnik on July 29, 2019.

Community leader Damir Ordulj stated that about 1000 permanent residents are living in the Old Town, and that their lives should be made more accessible. The project amounts to around 600,000 kuna per 200 vehicles and 1.5 million kuna per 500.

“The residents of the Old Town, especially those who live within Diocletian's Palace and the narrow area around it, cannot access their cars at their doorstep because of the great pressure from other residents, especially tourists. Because of this, they are forced to leave their vehicles far away or pay daily for parking lots and are at a disadvantage compared to other citizens,” Damir Ordulj said.

According to official data from 2001, 3235 residents lived in the historic city center, with about 1000 remaining. Thus, this measure should keep tenants inside the historic core.

"Given the many aggravating circumstances that have affected their quality of life in the old town, an initiative has been launched to grant these tenants free parking," Ordulj said.

Thus, the privileged conditions and parking would apply to tenants within the conservation "Zone A" bounded by the streets of Trumbićeva obala – Šperun – Ban Mladenova – Bana Jelačića – Matošićeva – Teutina – Sinjska – Zagrebačka – Poljana Kneza Trpimira.

However, the housing unit mustn't be registered to provide business services. A lengthy debate ensued, as part of the councilors believed that owners living in expensive squares should not have free parking, while others wanted to keep tenants within the old town who live there and don’t perform business activities within their home.

“I support measures that will make the lives easier for residents in the city center, including this enactment of privileged parking conditions. The city derives an enormous financial benefit from activities located in the city center. A lot of it destroys the quality of life of the citizens who live there, and this is a way to make it a little easier for them,” said Josko Markic, SDP councilor. 

Tomislav Prljević, however, does not agree with this decision.

“You say free parking? It's not free because someone has to pay for it. We are talking as if something bad happened in the Old Town with tourists. Real estate prices are up, not down. The content that happens in the center is by no means negative but positive, and if there are a lot of cars on the road, it is not negative but positive, because obviously, people can drive their cars. I do not want to make a decision that will pay for parking for someone who owns a square meter worth two or three thousand kuna,” the HDZ councilor said.

In the end, Ante Zoričić, one of the proponents of this initiative, said that it is indisputable that they are by far the most disadvantaged compared to all tenants in the city. He added that this is a temporary measure until a garage is built.

"This will be the most beautiful gift to the residents of the Old Town to celebrate 40 years on the UNESCO list,” Zoričić added.

Martin Mladen Pauk pointed out that this would be an excellent sociological experiment and would reveal how others would respond to giving free parking to one part of the public.

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