London bike share mainstay more than trebles e-bike hire fleet

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The Santander-sponsored London bike share platform will more than treble the e-bike hire fleet available across the city.

What was an initial fleet of 600 will now number 2,000, furthering the accessibility of a service that accounted for 6.75 million member hires in 2023, a new record for the scheme. What’s more, it’ll give people within London and visitors alike a chance to get acquainted with pedal-assisted bikes.

Thus far the 600 electric bikes have been severely tested, getting hired out more than twice as much as the pedal cycle cycles from the network of 800 docking stations.

Announced alongside the changes to the shared fleets is news that a £3 day pass will be introduced by March, which will offer riders unlimited 30-minute journeys all day, which it’s fair to say will make the service one of the capital’s cheapest ways to travel; more so since the scheme’s dockless rivals have steadily raised prices.

Hires of pedal cycles longer than 30 minutes will incur an extra £1.65 for each additional 30 minutes. Hires longer than 30 minutes incur an extra £1.65 for each additional 30 minutes. 

Santander Cycles e-bikes will be available for an additional £1 per half hour with the new Day Pass. In London, E-bike hire is otherwise available for £3.30 per 30-minute ride for non-members and customers without a Day Pass, or a fare of £1 per 60 minutes for monthly and annual members. 

The membership prices for Santander Cycles will remain at £20 per month or £120 a year, which allows customers unlimited 60-minute rides and an additional fare for e-bikes of £1. The monthly membership can be cancelled at any time.

Both the pedal cycle and the electric bikes are made in England by UK manufacturer Pashley.

David Eddington, TfL’s Head of Cycle Hire, said, ‘Santander Cycles is a vital part of London’s transport system and we are constantly looking for ways to improve the scheme, as well as making it as accessible as we can.  Santander Cycle e-bike usage in the capital is now more popular than ever so these additional e-bikes will allow more people to be able to access them. We’ve also listened to our customers regarding our fare tariff and are introducing a Day Pass to give people making multiple journeys in a day certainty about the overall cost of using the scheme. 

‘Santander Cycles has played an important role in encouraging more people to cycle and we look forward to seeing more Londoners making use of both the scheme’s e-bikes and mechanical bikes to ensure a greener and healthier future for everyone in London.’

Santander is committed to sponsor the scheme’s deployment until May of 2025.

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