TfL and Santander triple e-bike fleet, boosting London’s sustainable travel
Transport for London (TfL) and Santander are significantly enhancing the Santander Cycles scheme by more than tripling the number of e-bikes available to hire by the end of summer, bringing the total fleet to 2,000. This expansion aims to provide Londoners with an affordable, convenient and sustainable mode of transport.
E-bikes, introduced in 2022, have seen over one million hires and are currently hired at twice the rate of classic bikes.
On 27 June, a record 3,584 e-bike hires were recorded, demonstrating their popularity and the need for an expanded fleet. The increased availability of e-bikes will enable more Londoners to enjoy the health benefits of cycling and contribute to cleaner air. These bikes also help overcome barriers such as fitness levels and journey length that might otherwise deter people from cycling.
E-bikes are available to registered users for £3.30 per 30-minute ride or £1 per 60 minutes for monthly and annual members. This makes the e-bike single ride price the most affordable in London. The Santander Cycles app allows users to locate bikes and check battery levels.
In June, TfL introduced free Day Passes on Sundays to celebrate the launch of TfL Cycle Sundays, which promoted leisurely cycle routes. This initiative saw over 13,000 redemptions by 5,586 unique customers, 64% of whom were new to Santander Cycles. The success of this promotion will guide future efforts to attract more users to the scheme.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, commented:
Our Santander e-bikes are proving extremely popular with Londoners and so I’m delighted we’re tripling our e-bike fleet this summer. These additional bikes will enable even more people to cycle for shorter journeys, helping build a better, fairer and greener London for everyone.
David Eddington, TfL’s Head of Cycle Hire, added:
Santander Cycles is a vital part of London’s transport system, and the scheme has gone from strength to strength, with cycle hire in the capital now an integral part of travel. These additional e-bikes will give more people in London an opportunity to try these brilliant bikes and use them more often. We look forward to completing our expansion by the end of summer.
Dan Sherwood, Marketing Director, Santander UK, expressed:
It’s great to see the Santander Cycles scheme expanding once again. We couldn’t be more proud to have been working with TfL since 2015 on this fantastic scheme and watching it go from strength to strength as an affordable, convenient and sustainable way of travelling the streets of London. The 900 additional e-bikes being introduced today will allow even more people to access and enjoy the scheme this summer.
TfL has also been expanding the Cycleway network to improve accessibility for all Londoners. With over 390km of strategic cycle routes, and £19.5 million of investment this financial year, TfL is working with London boroughs to deliver new Cycleways and improve existing ones. This includes new routes between Lea Bridge and Dalston, Deptford and Deptford Creek, and Hammersmith and Kensington Olympia, with plans to expand further across Bexley, Harrow, Hounslow, Bromley and Redbridge.
For more information on how to get to, through or around London, please contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager.
