Citybike on campus! Mayor launches BoJo inspired bike hire scheme

Is Joe the new BoJo? Boris-like pay-as-you-go bikes hit Liverpool

bike hire Chris Boardman CityBike cycling Joe Anderson liverpool Mount Pleasant

Mayor Joe Anderson is channelling Boris Johnson’s popular bike scheme as he makes 100 bicycles available for hire around Liverpool.

The scheme, which was launched last Wednesday, allows students, tourists and the general public to hire a Citybike for just £3 a day, or £9 for a week.

There are a total of 100 bikes available at 10 stations across the city centre, including by the Guild bus stop on Mount Pleasant.

So is Liverpool the new London? By 2015, Anderson hopes to have 1,000 bikes available at 100 stations, making it the largest Citybike scheme outside of London.

The Citybikes are an attempt to battle obesity in the city and keep people active, as well as decreasing pollution- which is accountable for 15,000 deaths nationwide each year.

Olympic cycling champion Chris Boardman, from Wirral, officially launched the scheme on Wednesday.  He won a gold medal in the 1992 Olympics and is in full support of the scheme.  He said: “This is a city thinking about its future because how we travel has to change.

“There are 15,000 deaths a year related to pollution and 50,000 directly related to obesity. We have built exercise out of our daily routine.

“There is so much to see and do in Liverpool from our wonderful waterfront to our museums and galleries, and you can get to all these places by Citybike.  Whether you’re a commuter, tourist or out for the day with the family, enjoy our art, culture and atmosphere by Citybike.”

Liverpool City Council has received a grant of £1.5m to fund the scheme.  Joe Anderson said: “This is a huge milestone in the city’s cycle hire ambition and I’m delighted the scheme is now under way and ready for people to make the most of.

“The Citybike scheme means people can get around quickly and easily using a green mode of transport which also results in a healthier lifestyle for those who cycle around the city.

“We hope to see a strong take-up for the scheme and have made it as easy as possible for people to register online and then hop on a bike at locations across Liverpool.”

Like The Tab on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.