The number of e-bikes available through share schemes has overtaken unassisted pedal bikes for the first time in the UK, with more than 25,000 on the road by the end of September 2023.
This is more than double the 12,000 available only a year previously, with 59% of all bike share hires now being made on e-bikes, up from 45%, a report by national shared transport charity CoMoUK has said.
There was also a record number of daily rides taken on shared bikes in the UK last year with close to 25 million hires between September 2022 and September 2023, an average of 67,565 rides per day - up from the 54,285 rides per day recorded in 2022.
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The annual report, which surveyed more than 1,100 active users, also showed that bike share schemes boost people’s physical and mental health, save them money and cut the number of car miles driven across the UK.
A total of 14,548,660 e-bike hires were reported in the period covered by the report, an increase on the six million undertaken in the previous year.
The most popular reason for renting an e-bike or e-cargo bike was to cut journey times, with 53% giving this answer, and 46% said they chose an e-bike to avoid fatigue or getting sweaty, while 40% wanted one so they could cycle up hills.
The report also demonstrated how bike share schemes encourage people to cycle more often and improve their physical and mental health. More than two thirds (69%) of users reported cycling ‘more often’ or ‘much more often’ since joining, with this rising to 72% among those who used e-bikes.
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Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMoUK, said: “Our research clearly demonstrates the hugely positive impact that bike sharing schemes have, both for the people who use them and for society as a whole.
“By offering easy and affordable access to cycling, such schemes improve people’s physical and mental health, cut the number of cars on the road and reduce carbon emissions. The rise of the e-bike, which has now overtaken the pedal cycle in terms of hires, is pushing the popularity of bike sharing to new highs and there is no sign of this trend slowing down.
“Despite these successes, governments across the UK have been slow to grasp the true potential of bike sharing and we urge them to look at how they can do more. We look forward to more schemes being rolled out in UK cities during 2024, opening up this accessible and flexible mode of transport to an even wider audience.”
