The Dutch BiTiBi approach consists of 4+1 building blocks. The first four concern the implementation of the service, the fifth one the communication.

• Safe, sheltered and convenient bicycle parking for the first mile (and last mile); The provision of high quality bicycle parking, in combination with other factors, has led to an increase of bicycle use for the first mile by almost 50% between 2000 and 2005 in the Netherlands;
• Availability of a convenient public bicycle (last mile); the implementation of shared bicycles for the last mile in combination with a convenient payment system led to 140,000 OV-fiets (last mile shared bicycle) subscribers who made 1,200,000 rentals in 2012 and reduced their car use.
• One integrated convenient payment system (for example personal contactless card); the success of the shared bicycle was only possible thanks to the convenient payment system.
• Integrated organisation deploying BiTiBi: the train company (the main part of the modal chain) or different organisations with good intercommunication operate the different BiTiBi services (rail, bicycle).
• Positive communication and marketing about BiTiBi is the fifth building block. It is crucial to make people aware of the existence of the BiTiBi services and to make them consider it as a viable option. Especially business to business and member get member marketing are key factors.

The project will replicate the Dutch proven BiTiBi approach in United Kingdom (Liverpool area), Belgium, Spain (Barcelona area) and Italy (Milan area). This will be done via

• a permanent knowledge exchange between the Dutch experts (Dutch railways and Dutch consultant) and the 4 pilots;
• different kinds of (local) stakeholder meetings to help the different decision makers and users understand each other and to optimize the concept;
• communication actions to build confidence and understanding in the market based on the fifth BiTiBi building block.