Electric Boris Bikes could be coming to Leicester

Leicester could be set to move up in the world of biking after the city applied to have it’s very own fleet of Boris Bikes.

The city is applying for a £100,000 grant to cover the cost of buying the electric bikes and setting up four bike hubs at Highcross, Leicester Station, Leicester College, The University of Leicester and City Hall, according to the Leicester Mercury.

The bikes would pay for themselves with rental fees working in a similar way to the hugely popular system in the capital.

The bikes have already proved popular in London

The council, has made the bid and if it is successful the hub will be run by Go Travel Solutions, which is based in Leicester.

Managing director Robin Pointon said: “The benefits of electric bikes are many but the price has been a real barrier.

“A successful bid will help Leicester to speed up the adoption of electric bikes as a viable and effective mode of sustainable travel.”

Boris Bikes in the capital are only five years old, but have been hired more than 25 million times since 2010.

They are hired from electric docks, which is not the plan for Leicester, where staff will handle the rentals.

It follows similar such schemes in cities like Belfast and Nottingham

Mike, an engineering third year, thinks the bikes aren’t worth it in a city the size of Leicester.

He told the The Tab: “I really just don’t care, nothing is too far to walk and if I wanted to bike, I would just buy one from a local.”

Andrew Smith, director of planning, transportation and economic development at Leicester City Council, said to the Mercury: “If we are successful with the bid, Leicester will be able to demonstrate how electric bikes could be used to help business travel, travel to work and travel from the rail station.

“We’ve already completed a lot of work to make getting around our city easier by joining up pedestrian networks and cycle ways as part of our Connecting Leicester programme.

“Electric bikes represent another option for sustainable transport to help people get around the city and it’s an option this bid could help us to explore more thoroughly.”