Chiba Prefecture and OpenStreet, among others, are providing a free bike-sharing service as part of efforts to secure emergency transportation following damage to the JR Uchibo Line and the Chiba Prefectural Road Sodegaura-Aneza Station Line caused by Typhoon No. 25. The service will run from 6:00 a.m. on October 14 until further notice (while the JR Uchibo Line remains suspended).
Service has been suspended on the JR Uchibo Line between Anegasaki Station and Nagaura Station due to landslides and other incidents at multiple locations along the route. It is expected to take at least three months before service resumes. The landslides have also affected the prefectural road that runs parallel to this section of the line, causing it to be closed to traffic.
This service is being provided during the suspension of JR Uchibo Line operations to supplement public transportation such as trains and buses and ensure that local residents and others have a means of transportation. Temporary bike-sharing stations will be set up around Anegasaki Station and Nagaura Station, starting with a fleet of 130 bicycles. The number of bicycles deployed is expected to increase to a total of 300 by October 16.
To use the service, you must register as a member via the dedicated app for the bike-sharing service “HELLO CYCLING.” Use is free for up to 12 hours, provided you stay within the designated station areas; if you exceed 12 hours, a fee of 2,500 yen will be charged for each additional 12-hour period.
© Source travel watch