Glasgow to launch UK’s first fully electric cycle hire

Glasgow will become the first UK city to move its public cycle hire fleet to fully electric bikes, under a new contract approved by the council’s Contracts and Property Committee. The scheme will continue at no cost to the local authority and promises wider coverage, improved accessibility and a transition to more flexible parking.

At least 1,000 e-bikes, provided by Voi, will be available 24/7 at more than 150 locations across the city. The network will shift away from fixed pavement docks to marked on-street zones, which the city says will lower infrastructure costs, free up pedestrian space and make expansion easier as demand grows. Bikes will be accessible via an app with pay-as-you-go, daily and monthly pricing.

“On-street cycle hire offers a practical, cost-effective option to people who may not own a bike to get about the city, and in securing the scheme’s next phase of delivery with our new operator we look forward to building on its success,” said Angus Millar, City Convener for Climate and Transport.

To support access, a physical storefront will also open in Glasgow, providing a face-to-face way to hire bikes for those less familiar with digital platforms.

Since its launch in 2014, the cycle hire scheme has logged more than 2.5 million hires and 250,000 registered users. Nextbike by TIER, the current operator, will continue to run the service during a four-month handover before the new contract takes effect.

Voi will oversee the introduction of the fully electric fleet, installation of supporting infrastructure and management of the service for up to five years.

Millar added: “Over the coming months, people will start to see Voi rolling out a brand-new fleet of e-bikes and new-look supporting infrastructure across the city, all designed to make cycling more convenient and accessible.”

Image: Jeff Whyte | Dreamstime.com