Brighton and Hove to launch HourBike-run bike share

Ready in time for summer, coastal town Brighton is to launch a cycling share scheme, placing 430 HourBike-managed bikes at 50 locations.

Spanning Brighton and Hove, the 50 destinations will be found across a combination of railway stations, the seafront and University campuses in Falmer and on the Lewes Road.

The Coast 2 Capital Local Enterprise Partnership funded £1.16m of the total capital cost of £1.45m. Hourbike will now be the scheme’s operator for the next three years.

The Brighton scheme is the first UK scheme to use Social Bicycles technology. These bikes have been used in the successful Nike Biketown scheme in Portland and Hamilton. The technology is a hybrid on-street docking solution which enables users to leave the bikes at traditional cycling parking if a station is full.

Nike invested €10 million in the Portland scheme. 1,000 orange Nike bikes have been an instant hit for 38,000 people making 160,000 journeys since the launch in July.

The Brighton pricing system is also different to other UK schemes. Costs are £2 per trip, £8 per day or a pay as you go rate of 3p per minute (minimum £2 charge). Users can also purchase an annual membership at £72, which includes 30 minutes free use every day.