E-bike service relaunched after sustained vandal attack

The operator of Peterborough’s e-bikes for public hire has relaunched six months after the service was vandalised.

Voi Technology’s e-bikes for hire were withdrawn from service about six months ago after vandals caused extensive to scores of the specialist cycles causing thousands of pounds of damage.

In one incident alone last October 50 of the 129 e-bikes were damaged.

Matthew Pencharz, the UK’s head of public policy at Voi, said: “We are delighted to be relaunching the service in Peterborough.

He said: “We are really glad to be back but we are just sorry it has taken so much time to get the problem fixed.”

Mr Pencharz said the problem had bedn caused by vandals hacking into the mechanics of the bike.

He said: “Some people had worked out a hack to trash the e-bikes. We have not seen this level of damage in other markets.

“The attrition rate was unmanageable and we had to withdraw the service to fix it.”

The new service will begin with 40 e-bikes using the same routes. There will also be more staff on the streets to monitor usage of the service that saved an estimated three tonnes of C02 and helped people get around town with 10,000 rides before it was withdrawn.

Voi is also giving away 50 per cent off Daily Passes and free helmets to celebrate ebikes returning to Peterborough.

The e-bikes service is a joint venture between Voi, which operates e-bikes for hire in many cities across Europe, and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and Peterborough City Council.

Mr Pencharz said: “The Combined Authority and the council were keen to restart the service and so were we.

“We never considered just canning it. I think that would have been irresponsible.”

Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson, said: “Having ebikes back in Peterborough is fantastic news for the city.

“The e-bikes give people that extra push that we all sometimes need to move more and drive less.’’

He added: “The Combined Authority is committed to supporting transport schemes that have public health, safety and environment at their core. E-bikes are a forward-thinking answer to reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality in city centres.”