Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) has announced that more than 2,000 new bikes and e-scooters are set to hit the streets this April.
This is following the appointment of Lime, with TfWM, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), selecting Lime, to take on management of the official regional hire scheme following a competitive bidding process.
The agreement means that for the first time the scheme will operate at no cost to the taxpayer. Until now cycle hire has cost £1.4m a year to run.
Lime has also committed to maintaining its existing overall price levels for the first two years to make sure sustainable travel remains affordable.
Both bikes and e-scooters will be available immediately after the launch on April 1 in the areas currently served, but local councils, TfWM and Lime can also work together to grow the network.
West Midlands active travel commissioner, Beccy Marston, said: “This new partnership marks an exciting step forward for active travel in the West Midlands.
“By significantly increasing the number of e-bikes across the region, we’re making it easier for more people to choose a convenient, affordable and sustainable option for short journeys.
“We’re looking forward to working with Lime to embed the cycle hire scheme alongside our wider active travel interventions and infrastructure improvements.”
