Transport chiefs worried by "unsightly" hire bikes

The organisers behind the 6,000 pay-as-you-go bicycles that will be available for hire in London from next year are worried that they will clutter the streets. As a result the bikes will not carry their own locks and people who use their own may find them cut off by the hire company.

Once registered with the scheme users will be able to pick up and drop off one of 6,000 bikes at 400 docking stations across the capital. It is estimated the capital will see an extra 40,000 daily cycle trips in central London by 2010, but organisers seem worried that the bikes might clutter up the streets.

David Brown from Transport for London tells The Times today: “We do not want to see a situation where we have bikes chained up to railings across Central London. They just look unsightly.”

Those hiring the bikes will lose a £150 deposit if the bikes are stolen.

Hire bikes may prove too popular

TfL has decided not to build any docking stations close to railway stations as it is worried the bikes would be too popular among rail commuters and that racks would almost always be empty.

Organisers of the Velib scheme in Paris have found that bikes accumulate in certain areas – particularly at the bottom of hills. In London, electric vans may be used to redistribute bikes.

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “It would be a pity if the bikes ended up being used for sightseeing and little else and that will be a risk if they are far away form transport hubs.”

Do cyclists need insurance?

The short answer is yes. Bikes are vulnerable to theft and in the case of an accident cyclists may need to seek compensation or even deal with a claim by someone else. Cycle insurance from the ETA includes new-for-old replacement, third party insurance, personal accident cover and if you breakdown, they will even come out and recover you and your bike. We also offer a cycle rescue as a pick and mix option.