Home News Cycle Hire customers using the bikes more often

Cycle Hire customers using the bikes more often

June 17, 2021 7:52 am

Edinburgh Cycle Hire customers have cycled 1,500,000kms, the equivalent of pedalling their way around the globe nearly 38 times.

A recent study undertaken by scientists at Oxford University found that those who switch just one trip per day from car-driving to cycling reduced their carbon footprint by about 0.5 tonnes over the course of a year. So today, on Clean Air Day (and on all the other days), the people behind the cycle hire scheme encourage you to think about the way you travel around the city.

Last year the Just Eat Edinburgh Cycle Hire Scheme hired out bikes for 234,470 trips, almost double from the previous year. In one day alone 1,438 people used bikes to get around. So far in 2021 nearly 60,000 trips have been made with the summer period expected to be busy again with locals using the scheme as part of their holiday at home.

Access to bikes can be one of the biggest challenges to cycling, and the welcome news is that there are plans to upgrade hire points later this year, as well as conducting a review of the network to meet the growing customer demand. The new infrastructure which may be used in Edinburgh is already in use within the Transport for West Midlands scheme and is a hit with customers. This work is supported with funding from Sustrans and The City of Edinburgh Council.

George Lowder, Chief Executive of Transport for Edinburgh said: “The Edinburgh scheme is key to supporting our city’s sustainability and active travel plans, cutting emissions and congestion. Providing access to bikes in an easy to use, affordable and safe way will encourage people to leave the car at home and take shorter journeys by bike.”

Alex MacDonald, General Manager of Edinburgh Cycle Hire said: “We’re gearing up for another busy summer and we’ll have more bikes available across the city. Customers can explore on our e-bikes and pedal bikes by simply downloading the app and finding their nearest hire point.”

John Lauder, Deputy CEO Sustrans and National Director, Sustrans Scotland said: “Studies have found that switching from the car to cycling, even just for one day a week can make a real difference to reducing personal carbon emissions from transport. Cycle hire schemes, like Edinburgh’s makes cycling more visible, and more normal. Cycle hires remove the first barrier to making that decision to cycle, and help people understand how convenient and easy cycling is. It’s the first small step to changing habits that can make a huge difference.”