VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The City of Vancouver has quietly announced the launch of its bike share program will indeed be delayed again.

Its website says the bikes will be available next year.

The city first proposed the idea back in 2011, but the concept has had its problems. The latest hiccup was the financial trouble encountered by Bixi, which was to supply bikes to Alta Bicycle Share, the company chosen to run the program in Vancouver.

Erin O’Melinn with the cycling group HUB says it appears the logistics over helmets have been sorted out.

“My understanding is that every station that has bikes would make helmets available. The helmets would get sanitized. So the next person would come along and get a freshly-sanitized helmet.”

She says barring any other complications, we should eventually see evidence of the new program.

“You’ll see the bike stations set up. They’re usually placed every few blocks, to be as convenient has possible and allow people to take those spontaneous trips.”

The city will offer up 1,500 bikes, located at several stations across the downtown. Users pay a membership fee, and generally pay again if they’ve used the bike for longer than a half hour.

The program has proved popular in cities such as London, Barcelona and Boston.