London cycle hire scheme to go electric

London's popular cycle hire scheme, which is used over one million times a month, is to be boosted next month by the addition of 500 electric bikes.

Riders will be able to dock the e-bikes at any of the 800 existing docking stations in central.

The e-bikes will cost £3.30 for half an hour – twice as much as a the standard bicycles.

London mayor, Sadiq Khan, said the new bikes would “play an important role in helping to break down some of the barriers that stop people from getting on a bike, including fitness, age and length of journey”.

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Over half of bike share scheme users would have otherwise travelled by car or taxi, according to research by Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK).

As cities continue to deal with the pollution created by motorised traffic, the report also found on average, per user, an estimated reduction of 3.7 car miles and 1kg of CO2e every week.

Analysis of 39 bike share schemes found:

• For 49% of users, joining a share scheme was a catalyst to them cycling for the first time in at least a year – 6% took up cycling for the first time
• 34% of e-bikes users were replacing car or taxi trips of more than five miles per week (compared to 24% of conventional bike users)
• For one in five users, bike share was the only moderate to vigorous exercise they got on a weekly basis

Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMoUK, said: “The findings of this report have proved that bike share is a catalyst to re-engaging with cycling. Bike share supports health and wellbeing, triggers sustainable travel behaviours, cuts car miles and works alongside bike ownership.”

“Ultimately, if we are to achieve our ambitious net zero targets, we need to address the issue of private vehicle ownership, which massively contributes to the UK’s emissions. Shared transport such as bike share schemes, along with car clubs, demand responsive transport and e-scooters, alongside public transport, are the key to achieving our goals.”

The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK's most ethical provider.

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