SHARED BIKES

Overview and benefits

Introduction

Bike share is any scheme where bikes or e-bikes are available to multiple users.

The most common model of this in the UK is public bike share where bikes or e-bikes are provided self-service on-street at docking or parking stations or 'dockless' i.e. free-floating.

Other forms are workplace pool bikes, railway station hubs, loans, lockers and peer-to-peer sharing.

Two cyclists on e-bikes riding in London

Total members

3,380,203
Active members*
2,522,960

* Anyone who has used the bikes in the last 12 months

Figures: March 2023
Map of Great Britain with icon showing three people over the top of it

Fleet size

1,774
in Scotland
1,315
in Wales
27,694
in London
7,539
in the rest of England
350
in Northern Ireland
Total fleet size
38,672

History

Total members
Members icon
2023
(
Mar
)
3,380,203
2022
(
Sep
)
3,318,488
2022
(
Mar
)
2,841,985
2021
(
Mar
)
1,981,964
2020
(
Mar
)
945,413
2019
(
Mar
)
687,800
Total fleet size
Shared bikes icon
2023
(
Mar
)
38,672
2022
(
Sep
)
32,258
2022
(
Mar
)
25,564
2021
(
Sep
)
22,789
2021
(
Mar
)
23,142
2020
(
Mar
)
17,201

Benefits of bike sharing

Bike share is growing very rapidly in the UK and brings multiple co-benefits with it.

These include getting lapsed cyclists back into the saddle, boosting physical and mental health and inter-relating with public transport.

Dive into our research to explore more benefits.

Annual public bike share research reports
Shared bike users chat to each other

Research - 2022

The 2022 survey report is the seventh national annual review of the impacts of bike share by CoMoUK.

It provides ground-breaking evidence of the benefits of the schemes to our communities, in particular their role in attracting new riders.

The percentage of e-bike users responding has increased, providing a larger sample size to make comparisons with conventional pedal fleets.
Thanks to Sally Cairns & Associates for analysis of the survey data.

Historic bike share reports

2021

Summary reports

2020

Summary reports

2019

Summary reports (2019/20)
Summary reports (2019)

Bikes for All

The Bikes for All programme aims to reduce inequalities in access to cycling through the provision of low-cost bike hire alongside focused support.

A subsidised annual membership to the city’s bike hire scheme, nextbike Glasgow, together with one-to-one advice, group rides, route-finding tips and road skills, have been successful at breaking down known barriers to cycling such as inexperience, lack of confidence and low income.

The new report highlights the impact the Bikes for All project has had.

CoMoUK adapted this idea from the United States and played a leading role in bringing together the superb range of partners who deliver the programme.

Bikes for All scheme users lined up - three women with their bikes

Understanding users and non users of shared transport in Scotland

While year upon year we consistently see an increase in membership and scheme usage where services remain in place, the potential that shared transport has to effect more meaningful change is limited by two key factors. The ability for services to be made available to prime users without provision and the need to address barriers to adoption from non-users.

In this report, CoMoUK has set out to understand more about users, non-users and the barriers faced to the spread of car clubs and bike share in Scotland.

Understanding users and non users of shared transport in Scotland

NEXT :

Existing schemes and operators

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