UK bike rental schemes reach record numbers as nearly 25 million hires registered in a year

Bike hire schemes are continuing to grow in popularity in the UK, where nearly 25 million hires were recorded between September 2022 and September 2023. That figure equates to a record-breaking average of 67,565 rides per day, marking a significant 24% increase on the 54,285 daily rides recorded in the year before.

The findings have been shared in Collaborative Mobility UK’s (CoMoUK) annual report on the health of shared hire schemes in the UK, which has been compiled in conjunction with accredited bike share operators and local authorities.

It found that, on top of the higher number of hires, bike hire schemes were available in more locations than ever before. By the end of September 2023, this stood at 48 locations, increasing on the 43 locations recorded at the end of September 2022.

The type of bikes available through hire schemes has also shifted, with the availability of e-bikes outstripping that of standard bikes. According to the latest figures, 59% of bikes available through hire schemes are e-bikes, accounting for over 25,864 e-bikes in total. It continues a year-on-year rise from the 11,696 available in 2022 and 4,835 in 2021.

Those figures are likely to become even more one sided over the next year after Transport for London recently unveiled plans to triple the number of e-bikes available through hire schemes in the UK’s capital. At the beginning of 2024 there were 600 available, but this will eventually rise to 2000 in the summer.

Read more: London rental e-bikes to triple amid soaring demand

Collaborative Mobility UK also conducted a survey as a part of the study to gauge the overall popularity and benefits of the scheme, with the results painting an equally positive picture.

80% of the 1,378 respondents agreed or strongly agreed that using bike schemes had mental health benefits, while 57% agreed or strongly agreed that it had economic benefits by saving them money.

Most participants also agreed that bikes through the scheme made travelling easier compared to motor vehicles. 86% agreed that it made journeys faster, while 82% agreed that it helped them to avoid congestion or parking difficulties.

“This report clearly demonstrates the positive impact that bike sharing has on the UK’s transportation system and the benefits that bike sharing brings for individual users and the wider society,” Collaborative Mobility UK says in the report. “By offering easy and affordable access to cycling, bike sharing contributes to physical, mental and social well-being, as well as to economic and environmental benefits.”

These environmental benefits include a claimed reduction in CO2 emissions of 106,831 tonnes in the UK per year through the use of shared hire schemes, with the schemes replacing 245 million car miles per year.