Glasgow City Council has appointed Voi Technology UK Ltd as the new operator of the city’s cycle hire scheme, under a contract lasting up to five years. The scheme will be delivered at no cost to the council.
Voi will introduce a fully electric fleet in Glasgow, consisting of two models of e-bike designed to suit different journey lengths and rider preferences.
Unlike the current system, which relies on fixed docking stations, Voi’s approach will allow bikes to be parked in designated on-street zones. The dockless model is intended to free up pavement space while making it easier to adjust provision in response to demand.
Voi e-bikes
© Voi
At least 1,000 e-bikes will be made available across more than 150 locations in the city, operating around the clock. A physical storefront is also planned, providing a walk-in service for those who may prefer not to access the scheme digitally.
Councillor Angus Millar, City Convener for Climate and Transport said:
It’s great to have Voi on board for the next five years as the new operator of Glasgow’s hugely popular cycle hire scheme, offering a fully electric fleet for the first time.
On-street cycle hire offers a practical, cost-effective option to people who may not own a bike to get about the city, and in securing the scheme’s next phase of delivery with our new operator we look forward to building on its success.
Over the coming months, people will start to see Voi rolling out a brand-new fleet of e-bikes and new-look supporting infrastructure across the city, all designed to make cycling more convenient and accessible, whether you’re commuting, meeting up with friends, or simply exploring the city.
Opening up access to affordable, sustainable transport creates more options for everybody to get about Glasgow, and it’s great that Glaswegians will continue to be able to take advantage of cycle hire with this refreshed scheme.
The city’s cycle hire scheme has been in place since 2014, operated most recently by nextbike by TIER. Over that period, it has recorded more than 2.5 million hires and attracted about 250,000 registered users.
A four-month transition is now underway. During this period, Voi will deploy its new fleet and infrastructure while ensuring the handover from the current operator is managed smoothly. Once operational, the bikes will be accessible through the Voi app, with hire options including pay-as-you-go, daily passes and monthly subscriptions.
The contract awarded to Voi runs for an initial three years, with the option to extend for up to two further one-year periods.
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