Cardiff nextbike scheme set to double in 2019
Nextbike has announced it will add an extra 500 bikes to its Cardiff scheme next year, after an £800,000 investment by the Welsh government.
Another 65 docking stations will also be added to the city-wide network, with the creation of up to 10 jobs needed to service the expanded fleet.
The new bikes will start being added to the scheme in spring, with the aim to have all 500 installed by the end of summer. Over the coming weeks, nextbike will launch a consultation to ask the public where they would like to see the docking stations located.
Julian Scriven, nextbike Managing Director, said: “The demand for bike-share in Cardiff has been phenomenal since we launched with 25 bikes in March. The community has completely embraced the scheme and it’s largely thanks to public demand that the scheme is set to grow at such a fast rate.”
This investment will double the Cardiff scheme in size, which has been nextbike’s most successful UK launch since 2014.
The scheme has been backed by Cardiff council and financially supported by the Welsh government in a bid to reduce congestion, free up parking spaces and provide a healthier way to travel round the city.
A Bikes for All scheme is also set to be introduced across the city, offering subsidised annual memberships to people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Scriven continued: “Our desire has always been to make the scheme as accessible as possible to the whole community, which is why we’re thrilled to be introducing Bikes for All to the city. We’re also in early discussions around how to include accessibility bikes into the fleet, which would be a UK-first for a city cycle hire scheme.”
Nextbike has recently been nominated for a Cardiff Cycling City award for it’s contribution to improving cycling in the city, after working closely with Cardiff council throughout the planning and delivery of the scheme.
Councillor Caro Wild, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “The success of the scheme in Cardiff continues to grow and is further evidence that Cardiff can become one of the very best cycling cities in the UK. Our commitment to improving the cycling infrastructure will also become a reality, with further news on the cycling super highways expected shortly.”
Nextbike delivers over 150 bike share schemes worldwide, including UK-based schemes in Scotland and England.