‘Social equity’ bike hire to be extended

The UK’S first bike hire scheme to boost cycling in low-income households could be extended to Edinburgh as part of the capital’s rent-a-bike plans.

The Bike Share 4 All initiative in the Govanhill area of Glasgow offers community groups cheaper and easier ways of using the city’s hire scheme.

Cycle hire developers Bikeplus, one of its organisers, said ministers would not achieve their aim of increasing cycling rates unless such underrepresented groups were persuaded to try it.

The Scottish Government wants 10 per cent of journeys to be by bike by 2020, but cycling is currently dominated by white, middle-class males.

The Govanhill “social equity” scheme has attracted 70 members, 62 per cent of whom are female and 14 per cent are unemployed.

It is aimed at those suffering “transport poverty” – ie, spending more than a tenth of their income on getting about.

Membership costs a fraction of the normal Glasgow scheme rate, with users able to book using freephone numbers and pay in cash.

Bikeplus project manager Chris Slade said: “When Edinburgh rolls out its hire scheme next year, this is the sort of thing to be developed beside it.”

There are similar plans as part of the expansion of Stirling’s hire scheme next year.