Countdown begins to launch of Fort’s Hi-Bike share scheme
The countdown is on for the launch of the Hi-Bike Fort William electric bike share scheme in spring.
Lochaber Environmental Group (LEG) was busy in 2021. Four of the Hi-Bike scheme’s eight charging hubs – at Caol shopping centre, Kilmallie Community Centre, Inverlochy, and the travel centre – are now connected to the SSE network and are ready for Bewegen, the provider and operator, to install the equipment.
This month, contractors Concrete Groundworks Group will start work on the High Street hub outside the Royal Bank of Scotland, which will be the biggest hub, with 14 recharging docks and an information panel. The work at the High Street site will involve connecting the hub to the SSE network, laying a concrete pad for the information panel and recharging docks, and removing the existing bike hoops and the noticeboards, which will be moved to new locations on the High Street. There will also be charging hubs in Upper Achintore, Claggan and the new Blar Mhor housing development.
Hi-Bike Fort William will have 60 ebikes for use with annual, monthly and pay-perride membership options. Once Hi-Bike is launched, LEG will be running training sessions and guided rides to teach people how to use the scheme and unlock the bikes. LEG will also be running competitions and hopes to be able to offer reduced and free rides and membership to anyone who needs it.
For more information on the bikes and the charges, check out Hi-Bike at www.hi-bike. co.uk.
Kate Willis from LEG said: ‘We recently tried out the HiBike Inverness ebikes and they were comfortable, easy and great fun to ride. The electric assistance makes the riding feel light and is great for getting up steeper hills. The large basket on the front makes it practical and easy to carry shopping or heavy bags.
‘Since Hi-Bike Inverness launched on October 1, the bikes have been ridden over 3,500 miles on more than 1,200 rides. We hope that Hi-Bike Fort William will be even more popular. We certainly think they will be a great way to travel around Fort William, and in the summer months when the roads are completely clogged with traffic it will be much easier and quicker to get around on a Hi-Bike than in a car.’