Cycle hire scheme citybike has won the Best Shared Mobility Provider title at the 2015 Smarter Travel Awards.
In a hotly contested category, including a rival cycle hire scheme in Bath, the judging panel recognised the Liverpool city cycle scheme’s success in establishing a convenient sustainable network that makes multi-modal transport across the city a reality for commuters, tourists, shoppers and leisure users.
“We are thrilled the judges have recognised how citybike has quickly become an established, popular cycle hire scheme which is really changing how people move around Liverpool,” said Karen Stevens, Cycling Officer for Liverpool City Council after she collected the award.
Liverpool’s citybike scheme was commissioned by Liverpool City Council and is operated by hourbike, with funding from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
Managing Director of hourbike Tim Caswell said that the award acknowledged how quickly the scheme had become embedded in the city.
“We installed our first 100 stations ahead of schedule and since we started there have been 35,000 citybike hires in Liverpool,” he said. “citybike has become part of the city and that is how these schemes become successful in changing attitudes to travel.”
His sentiments were echoed by Liverpool City Council Cabinet member for Regeneration & Transport Cllr Malcolm Kennedy.
“The people of Liverpool have truly embraced citybike,” he said. “The scheme is still growing and extending out, I understand it will be reaching into North Liverpool in the coming weeks.
“It is transforming how people get around the city for business and leisure and this award is a testament to that.”
citybike has become the largest cycle hire scheme outside London and has delivered affordable green travel across the wider city region.
There are now more than 100 stations, 650 cycles in circulation and citybike day hire costs from just £3. Hourly top-ups cost just £1 per hour. Annual memberships are just £60 and include the first half hour of every journey free plus five hours of free cycle time for longer trips.
For more information on citybike memberships please visit http://www.citybike.co.uk/
