Brabin hails successful first week of city e-bike scheme

More than 1,600 trips covering 375km were made on e-bikes during the first week of the Leeds City Bike scheme.

The £2.9m scheme is a fully electric public bike hire scheme by bike sharing firm Beryl in partnership with Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Th scheme will be rolled out in autumn, with up to 300 bikes at 40 docking stations in the city centre and key routes to the south and north west. A further 300 bikes will be delivered in spring 2024.

Cllr Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, said, “We want our city to be one that provides a full and comprehensive transport network and an e-bike scheme is a crucial part of that – offering quick and sustainable journeys across the city centre. 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.”

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

“Changing our travel habits is about having access to different options – and e-bike hire is now one of those.

“A reliable and inclusive transport network, which puts cycling and walking at the heart of our everyday lives, is key to our plans for a stronger and better-connected region.”

Dr Robin Lovelace, associate professor of transport data science at Leeds University, said, “Investment in active travel is a win-win-win for health, air quality and the local economy. The new bike hire scheme will let people in the University of Leeds and city communities try out cycling on a secure, well-maintained electric-assisted bike. Combined with investment in active travel and public transport measures, this will enable more trips to be made without the costs of cars.”