Transport for London (TfL) and Santander are adding 500 e-bikes to the fleet, which use an electric motor to assist riders as they pedal. The e-bikes, which will be distributed across key central London locations, are being introduced as part of a programme of work to modernise the cycle hire scheme.
The new bikes will help to break down the barriers that stop some people from cycling, including fitness, age and journey length. E-bikes will be able to be docked at any of the scheme’s 800 docking stations, giving customers an easy and sustainable way of travelling across a large area of central and inner London.
TfL will also be making changes to the Santander Cycles fare tariff from 12 September. Customer feedback has shown that the current tariff structure, which charges an annual membership fee or a daily access fee of £2, plus additional charges for rides longer than 30 minutes, is complex and inflexible. The changes, which are the first since 2013, include:
- A new flat rate of £1.65 per 30-minute ride. This will replace the existing daily access charge, which is £2 for unlimited rides of up to 30 minutes in a 24-hour period, with additional charges for rides over 30 minutes.
- A new monthly membership option, costing £20 per month. The membership, which can be cancelled at any time, will allow customers unlimited 60-minute rides in the month and will improve the scheme’s offer to people who do not wish to commit to an annual membership.
- The annual membership will now offer unlimited 60-minute rides, instead of the unlimited 30-minute rides currently offered. The price of an annual membership will increase to £120.
- E-bikes will initially be available to registered users only, for a fare of £3.30 per 30-minute ride or an additional fare of £1 per 60 minutes for monthly and annual members.
- The £1.65 new flat rate for customers who are not Santander Cycles members matches the price of a London bus fare.
In July, the Santander Cycles scheme recorded its busiest month in its history, with more than 1.3 million hires.
“I am delighted to be launching our first ever e-bikes for hire,” says Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London. “I’m determined to continue building a cleaner, greener London for everyone and this includes making cycling as accessible as possible.”
Images: Transport for London
