Transport for London (TfL) has announced that an additional 1,400 e-bikes will be added to its Santander Cycles fleet this summer.
In addition, a new day pass will be introduced to the scheme, costing just 3 GBP for unlimited journeys under 30 minutes all day using regular pedal bikes.
The 1,400 new e-bikes will increase the fleet of Santander Cycles e-bikes from 600 to 2,000. This builds on 2023 having the highest ridership numbers since the scheme began, with 6.75 million member hires.
The bikes will be distributed across key central London locations and can be docked at any of the scheme’s 800 docking stations.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:I'm delighted that we're adding a further 1,400 new e-bikes to the fleet, almost tripling the number available to hire. The e-bikes have proved hugely popular since they were introduced and help break down the barriers that stop some people from cycling. The new day pass rate will also make Santander bikes one of the most affordable ways to travel in the capital.
I'm determined to continue building a cleaner, greener and more prosperous London for everyone, and Santander Cycles plays a hugely important role in making active travel around the city as accessible as possible.
These newly announced changes to the scheme are part of TfL’s initiative to expand and improve Santander Cycles to make cycling more accessible to all.
Indeed, recent feedback from users indicated that a new tariff structure would encourage more people to use the cycling service. The day pass will therefore be introduced from Sunday 3 March to help provide an economical hire option.
David Eddington, TfL's Head of Cycle Hire, said:Santander Cycles is a vital part of London's transport system and we are constantly looking for ways to improve the scheme, as well as making it as accessible as we can. Santander Cycle e-bike usage in the capital is now more popular than ever so these additional e-bikes will allow more people to be able to access them. We've also listened to our customers regarding our fare tariff and are introducing a Day Pass to give people making multiple journeys in a day certainty about the overall cost of using the scheme.
Santander Cycles has played an important role in encouraging more people to cycle and we look forward to seeing more Londoners making use of both the scheme's e-bikes and mechanical bikes to ensure a greener and healthier future for everyone in London.
