Transport for London (TfL) and Santander have expanded their e-bike scheme with a new 900 bikes available to hire in response to a surge in demand.
TfL is to more than triple the number of bikes in the e-bike fleet, meaning it will reach a total of 2,000 by the end of summer.
The bikes have attracted huge popularity since the hiring service was launched in 2022, with over a million hires made since (at around twice the rate of a classic bike).
June 27 saw some the highest volume of e-bike hires to date, with as many as 3,600 made.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “Our Santander e-bikes are proving extremely popular with Londoners and so I’m delighted we’re tripling our e-bike fleet this summer.
“These additional bikes will enable even more people to cycle for shorter journeys, helping build a better, fairer and greener London for everyone.”
It is hoped that the new e-bikes will enable more Londoners to enjoy the benefits ranging from improved health to cleaner air as the scheme ensures a “greener” future.
Customers can use the Santander Cycles app to hire the bikes and see where all e-bikes are located across London. E-bike battery levels are also shown on the app.They are available to registered users, for a fare of £3.30 per 30-minute ride or £1 per 60 minutes for monthly and annual members.
David Eddington, TfL’s Head of Cycle Hire, said: “Santander Cycles is a vital part of London’s transport system, and the scheme has gone from strength to strength, with cycle hire in the capital now an integral part of travel.
“These additional e-bikes will give more people in London an opportunity to try these brilliant bikes and use them more often. Santander Cycles has played an important role in encouraging more people to cycle and we’ll continue to improve the scheme to ensure a greener and healthier future for everyone in London. We look forward to completing our expansion by the end of summer.”
The scheme follows on the success of TfL Cycle Sundays, a new programme of leisurely cycle routes which was introduced in a bid to encourage Londoners to cycle more. The offer of £1 for an unlimited 30 minutes on a Santander e-bike was redeemed more than 13,000 times.
