Forest grows Cycle to Work Scheme amid soaring eBike demand in London

Bicycle hire service provider Forest has expanded its Cycle to Work Scheme by adding Enjoy Benefits as a new partner.

Enjoy Benefits is an employee benefits partner for companies. This partnership aims to help employees across London “adopt transport methods that are more sustainable, ease road congestion and promote healthier lifestyles”.

Forest expanded the scheme following a 30% month-on-month increase in uptake since its launch in February last year. In July, the company recorded 1.5 million rides across London, a 60% year-on-year increase. Looking forward, Forest will launch its service in Hounslow on 11 August after it was selected by the council to deliver eBikes to the local community.

“The demand for the scheme – which is only increasing – demonstrates that eBikes are an extremely popular option for Londoners who are looking to make greener and healthier choices in travelling around the city,” said Jamie Richards, Vice President of Sales at Forest.

Aside from the partnership, data from Forest’s Q2 Quarterly Survey – which surveyed over 2,000 Forest users – showed that commuting was the most popular reason for riders choosing to travel by Forest bikes, with 64% of riders using the eBikes for their daily commute or to travel to meetings.

The data also shows that eBikes are now just as popular as the tube, with 62% of users saying these were the two modes of travel they used the most.

Also, 59% of users chose Forest over other transport methods because it was quicker; 52% said convenience was a key factor, and a further 39% identified cost as a motivator.

Last year, Forest and US bike share operator Bird announced a significant integration, allowing Bird app users travelling to London to open the Bird app and rent Forest eBikes across the city using their in-app payment method.