A new cycle hire scheme in the West Midlands has seen the first bikes take to the streets of Sutton Coldfield.
The scheme, announced by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) in December, aims to encourage more people to become active and healthy and offer a convenient and more environmentally-friendly alternative to the car for shorter journeys.
A limited trial pilot will feature five docking stations and 25 bikes placed in and around the town centre for the next month to allow a group of selected volunteers to road test the bikes, docks, locks and mobile app technology.
From 08 March 2021, the bikes will be available to the public in Sutton Coldfield before being rolled out in Coventry, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Stourbridge, West Bromwich, Solihull and Walsall by the end of July.
According to TfWM, when fully rolled-out, there will be 170 fixed docking stations and 1,500 bikes for hire, of which 150 will be electrically powered. There is an option to increase this as demand grows.
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street, said: “Lockdown has shown there is a huge appetite for cycling among the people of the West Midlands as many took the opportunity to get out and about on two wheels.
“It is great to see the docks and bikes finally on the streets of Sutton Coldfield and arriving across the wider West Midlands over the next few months.
“As well as providing a great opportunity for more people to take up cycling – these bikes also made here in the West Midlands, supporting local jobs and businesses.”
Riders will be required to download an app to unlock the bikes. It will cost £1 to unlock a bike and 5p per minute after that. This means a 20 minute cycle will cost £2 and an hour £4.
The scheme is run by Serco, operator of London’s Santander Cycles, under a five-year contract from TfWM, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
