March 24, 2015 3.07 pm This story is over 107 months old

Lincoln hirebike scheme expands with six new stations

Hirebike expansion: Lincolnshire County Council’s bike hire scheme is set to be extended again next month, with more stations and bikes.

Lincolnshire County Council’s bike hire scheme is set to be extended again next month, with more stations and bikes.

One hundred bikes will be available to rent from 19 stations across the city, with new locations being launched in April. The new locations are:

  • Carrington Drive
  • Tritton Road (near Downtown)
  • Bracebridge
  • Brant Road
  • University of Lincoln campus (Ropewalk)
  • St. Mark’s Shopping Centre

Hirebike was launched in August 2013, and has been funded by Lincolnshire County Council’s sustainable transport project, Access LN6 – which received support from the Department for Transport.

Through Access LN6, £260,000 has been invested in launching and developing Lincoln’s hirebike scheme.

More than £3,000 bikes have been rented in this time and a casual day tariff has been introduced, with a minimum of £2 for one hour.

A hirebike Lincoln app is now also available on android.

The council will subsidise the scheme annually over the next five years, but plans with the operator, Hour Bike Ltd, have been put in place to reduce this subsidy considerably.

Richard Davies, Executive Councillor for Highways and Transportation at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Through Access LN6, we were able to launch Lincolnshire’s first on-street bike rental scheme, and we’re really pleased with how successful hirebike has become.

“Although funding for Access LN6 has come to an end, we are proud that hirebike is here to stay – and we have made some changes to the pricing structure to widen its appeal.

“We’re confident that more people will continue to use the scheme for both commuting and leisure – especially in such an exciting year for the city; with the nation’s celebrations of the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta and the 2015 British Cycling National Road Race Championships in June.”

Tim Caswell, Managing Director of Hour Bike Ltd, said: “We’re really pleased to be continuing this project in Lincoln.

“Hour Bike’s Lincoln team will be based locally, employing local people; and we’re confident that over the next five years, hirebike will expand even further.

“We’re working really closely with Lincolnshire County Council to support a self-sustaining project, and investment will be put back into the scheme to ensure this is possible.”

Hour Bike is also working with North Kesteven District Council to install two additional hirebike stations at North Kesteven Sports Centre and in Hykeham later this year.

For more information and to rent a bike, visit www.hirebikelincoln.co.uk or call the hirebike team on 01522 370 143.