Coventry’s hugely successful West Midlands Cycle Hire (WMCH)
scheme has been expanded to cover Coventry Railway Station and
the University of Warwick campus.
This sees an additional 75 bikes and nine new docking stations
made available to users. Seven of these are on the university
site with the remaining two outside the Visitor Information Hub
at Coventry Railway Station and at Starley Gardens on Cox Street.
It means that visitors, staff and students returning after their
summer breaks will not only be able to hire bikes for trips
around the campus, but also use them for a longer commute to and
from the city centre. There are already 23 docking stations
available in Coventry.
And to mark the return to work, school, college and university
after the summer break WMCH
has a new region wide early morning offer available from
September 6. This will see the £1 unlock fee waived for users
between 6am and 11am leaving only the 5p per minute fee – meaning
a ten-minute ride will now cost 50p instead of £1.50.
WMCH has been rolled out in eight locations covering town and
city centres across the region since March and proved popular
with over 100,000 journeys taken to date. It has been developed
by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands
Combined Authority (WMCA), in partnership with local councils.
, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “With more than
100,000 journeys taken on our bikes since the spring, it is clear
our cycle hire scheme is very popular and in demand. That’s why
we are now extending the scheme, with more bikes and docking
stations available throughout Coventry, including on the
University of Warwick campus.
“This really is brilliant news, as cycling helps improve people’s
physical health whilst also encouraging more drivers to leave the
car at home and tackling the climate emergency. That’s why, on
top of the cycle hire scheme, we have launched our Starley
Network of safe cycle routes and are investing more than £40
million in a wide range of other schemes to help encourage more
people to take up cycling and walking.”
TfWM has been collaborating with the University of Warwick
on the
Future Transport Showcase under which a variety of
environmentally friendly modes of transport are being trialled –
including e-scooters, demand
responsive buses and electric car clubs.
Councillor Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs and regeneration
at Coventry Council said: “I’m pleased that Coventry is unique in
the region and leading the way with the uptake of the scheme.
These extra cycle docks will make it easier for visitors, workers
and students to get from the railway station to both university
campuses, as well as to City of Culture events and this weekend‘s
Godiva Festival in War Memorial Park.”
Parvez Islam, director of transport and future mobility at the
University of Warwick said “We’re proud to be working with TfWM
and other partners on a range of important transport initiatives
on our campus, and the WMCA cycle hire scheme is a welcome
addition.
“Staff and students living in Coventry, including areas such as
Canley and Earlsdon, can now rent a bike and cycle to campus in
less than half an hour, meaning they can be more sustainable by
leaving the car at home more often, and get active and healthier
in the process.”
The scheme is run by Serco – the operator of London’s famous
Santander Cycles – using bikes, docks and locks manufactured in
the West Midlands. The on-street docks are being made by
Universal Fabrications in Nuneaton, while the locking system is
produced by Coventry based RDM Group and PHA Europe in West
Bromwich.
Investment
in cycling facilities is a key part of the region’s plan to
provide more alternatives to the car for shorter journeys around
busy towns and cities with a view to reducing congestion,
improving air quality and helping the region achieve its #WM2041
net zero-carbon target.
