A new pricing structure to get more people on e-bikes

THE city’s e-bike scheme bosses have revealed new prices to help customers make the most of life on two wheels.

Santander Cycles Leicester hope residents and visitors make the most of the scheme, with a 20-minute journey now available from 60p.

Just over a year on from its launch in Leicester, the initiative with Leicester City Council has seen more than 20,000 people complete almost 53,000 trips using the e-bikes.

Following feedback from riders, the new pricing structure is based on the number of minutes the bike is in use, and the addition of a virtual wallet allows users to have total control of their expenses.

Pay As You Go users can make use of e-bikes (by downloading the Ride On app) whenever the need arises without paying an unlocking fee. After a fixed £1.20 fee for the first 20 minutes, users will only be charged for the number of minutes riding the e-bike.

Regular users, including commuters, will be rewarded with further reduced costs. They will enjoy the first 20 minutes of each ride for 60p, followed by a reduced rate each minute the bike is in use.

Monthly membership costs £12 and yearly is £60 – a student discount is available – meaning regular users can reap the rewards of signing up to a subscription; a 25-minute ride on a Pay As You Go plan costs £1.70, compared to just 85p with a Membership. Visitors can soon discover the colourful artworks of Bring the Paint Street Art Festival (May 23-39) by bike, or perhaps enjoy a leisurely cycle along Leicester’s waterways whilst taking in Riverside Festival (June 4-5).

The e-bike scheme has 37 docking stations, with around 350 cycles in use across the city. New additions include stations at the University of Leicester, Braunstone Leisure Centre,

County Hall and Almond Road with more planned over the coming weeks. Once complete, it will be the largest docked e-bike scheme in the country, offering 500 e-bikes across 50 stations.

Miguel Vital, Ride On’s chief executive, said: “With this new pricing structure, we are answering the call from our users to become an affordable, convenient and easy-to-use means of transportation in the city, especially for those signing up to long-term memberships.”