BIKE RENTALS BUILD SPEED IN U.K. CAPITAL,

London’s bike- rental program more than doubled its roster of new riders last year, as the coronavirus pandemic prompted people to switch over from buses, trains and taxi cabs.

New sign- ups to the Santander Cycles program, including riders who pay on a daily basis and those who bought an annual subscription, climbed by 157 per cent in 2020, Transport for London, said in a statement.

The added riders helped to drive a small increase in the number of overall journeys, to 10.4 million, in a year in which lockdowns tied to the outbreak kept many at home.

Usage growth was also aided by moves to grant free rides to about 220,000 health service staff working in the U.K. capital.

Bicycles were chosen at the expense of other options. Public transport fell to less than 10 per cent of normal levels in London during the first lockdowns last spring. Subway ridership declined 75 per cent while more than 50 per cent of demand for bus rides fell away during a second shutdown in November.

The U. K. is in its third lockdown, as authorities try to slow a fast spreading mutation of the coronavirus.

Other European cities have also seen residents turn to bikes in large numbers, amid concern about the spread of the virus in confined spaces.

Berlin is accelerating an urban redesign as residents cycle and walk more, while Paris has introduced a new network of dedicated bike lanes.