SHARED BIKES

Starting and running successful schemes

How to set up a successful public bike share scheme

CoMoUK has gathered experience from all stakeholders across the bike share sector throughout its history to date to create best practice in bike share development.

Our guidance explores:

  • how to create sustainable schemes
  • procurement routes
  • funding requirements
  • common pitfalls for bike share
  • strategies for avoiding criminal damage

It has been developed for those leading on the development of bike share such as local authorities, universities and business parks.

Advice specifically tailored to workplaces and communities can also be found on this page.

Bike share guidance for local authorities

Employers action kit

This ground-breaking action kit for employers about how shared transport can fit into wider packages of options that decarbonise staff, visitor, supply chain and patient travel.

It has a range of fascinating case studies to take inspiration from and how to identify goals, assess patterns, choose changes and make a success of them.

Employers may also wish to utilise the Way to Work website; aimed at those in Scotland but with useful information for all.

Shared transport: an action kit for employers

Case studies - e-cargo bikes

Following the successful launch of public bike share schemes in the UK in 2010 there have been many innovations in the sector. One particularly interesting development is the introduction of electric cargo bikes which can be used for transporting children or goods. This new mode is opening up a range of new use cases for bike share.

Evidence from the CoMoUK Annual Bike Share Reports shows that traditional bike share is reducing car trips, 37% of survey respondents said they would have used a car or taxi if the bikes were not available for their most common trip. Out of the 394 respondents who had used a e-cargo bike in the 2022 survey, 58% said that reduced their car use by between 5 and 15 miles per week, while this is only true for 19% of pedal bike users.

The survey also showed there is an appetite for the growth of cargo bike services with 61% of respondents stating that they would be interested in trying an electric cargo bike for carrying shopping and 19% for carrying children.

The case study below provides an outline of what is possible and shares some of the early lessons learnt. New schemes are being procured across the UK at the moment so we look forward to more people being able to enjoy the benefits of low cost convenient cargo bikes.

Cargo bike share toolkit

How to set up a community bike share scheme

Community groups are very active in the UK setting up shared bike schemes.

From development trusts to local climate action groups, community networks and centres, and tourism groups, people are coming together to create innovative projects tailored to the local setting.

This page supports the development of community bike share schemes and is split into seven easy to digest sections.

Community groups page
Community bike share scheme launch photo with members holding one of the bikes

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