Leeds city will be seeing a new fully-electric public bike hire service, which the local authority claims is the first of its kind in the UK.
The Leeds City Bikes scheme, which is worth £2.86m, will see e-bikes for hire at docking stations in the city centre and along key routes to the south and north-west of the city.
The council hopes to then expand the scheme to other areas.
The project has been designed and developed by British e-bike hire operator Beryl, in partnership with Leeds City Council, and has been made possible through funding secured via the West Yorkshire Mayoral devolution deal.
Formal approval for the scheme was granted at the end of May, when members of the Combined Authority’s Transport Committee approved the funding in full.
Cllr Helen Hayden, executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “We want Leeds to be a city where you don’t need to own a car and a key part of that is expanding and supporting our cycling network.
“Cycling is a great way to travel for short journeys, as well as long, and this proposal will make it easier for people to make that change.”
Subject to further funding, it is hoped that more e-bike services will be rolled out across West Yorkshire in the future.
Philip Ellis, CEO of Beryl, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to encourage as many people as possible to switch to more sustainable transport.
“We have a proven track record of working in partnership with cities and in consultation with communities and key stakeholders to deliver successful services that play a crucial role in integrated urban transport systems.
“Our vehicles are not only good for the environment, they’re also fun, easy to use and cost-effective, removing the need for vehicle ownership expenses such as fuel, tax, MOT, storage, parking and maintenance.”
Last year, Beryl was the winner of Shared Mobility Award with Transport for Norwich at the inaugural CiTTi Awards.
