Docks are empty of free-to-borrow bikes at Dongsi, Dongcheng district, on Wednesday. Photo: Guo Yingguang/GT

Shanghai-based Forever Bicycles has withdrawn a 20-month free public bike service from Dongcheng district after it failed to win a government tender for a public bike rental system in October.

Local residents are sorry to see the service go, while authorities are planning on a new citywide bike rental service which might be launched next year.

Ten bike stands near subway stations and residential communities, offered 100 bikes in total for people who applied at residential committees for a card that gave free access to a bike for two hours at a time. More than 500 residents had registered since the program was launched in March 2010.

Service provider Forever Bicycles halted its only Beijing program in mid-November, said the company's manager Chen Shan. During the first two years, the company invested more than 3 million yuan ($470,000) in the pilot program, hoping for a long-term future cooperation with the district government, he said, but they failed in the bid organized by the local government.

"We failed with a 10-million-budget plan while a company with a 24.98-million-budget won," Chen said.

Officials with the Municipal Transport Commission visited the scheme and praised the company for advocating green commuting, Chen said, but now they were prevented from continuing the service.

Yesterday, residents' own bikes and motorcycles were parked near a crossroad at  Dongsishitiao, formerly a Forever Bicycles stand.

"The service was really convenient, especially for people who live and work in the area," said a nearby resident surnamed Li.

"It's very popular in my community," said a secretary with Dafangjia Hutong residential community administration of Dongcheng, surnamed Yu. The community had more than 100 residents who applied for the scheme.

Municipal and district governments have plans for a new public bike rental service next year, and residents can have bike access near communities and subway stations as well, said an anonymous publicity employee with Chaoyangmen sub-district administration.

 The free service was a good practice benefiting residents and advertising for the company itself, he said, and it is unclear how the new service will work.

The Dongcheng city management commission did not comment on the new plan or the failure of Forever Bicycles yesterday.