Credit: Rachel Wood
News Editor
It is hoped this extra funding will encourage more people to use the city’s eBike scheme
Glasgow City Council has pledged to match nearly £180,000 of funding from Transport Scotland to help start the city’s eBike revolution.
The original £180,000 from Transport Scotland will cover the cost of 63 electric bikes which will be introduced into Glasgow as part of the popular nextbike hire bike scheme. When fully charged these bikes have a range of up to 60 miles.
The city council will commit a further £180K to the project. This will fund an extra 83 eBike docking stations that will be installed at 21 of the pre-existing nextbike hire locations around Glasgow. With this extra funding, it is hoped more people will make use of the eBike scheme.
Councillor Anna Richardson, City Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction, said: “I am absolutely delighted that our bid to bring eBikes to Glasgow has received such strong backing from Transport Scotland. Glasgow will soon have the biggest fleet of eBikes in the country and this will help to make cycling a much more accessible option for getting about the city.
“Electrically-assisted bikes can provide a welcome boost to those who are building up their fitness, make longer trips by bike more manageable, and introduce cycling to people who may have not considered it an option open to them. eBikes will be a great addition to the city’s transport offering and add further fuel to the continued growth of the city’s nextbike scheme.
“The funding to be contributed by the council will play a vital part in successfully delivering eBikes for Glasgow.”
Julian Scriven, nextbike UK MD, added: “We’re delighted that the council has been awarded funds to introduce eBikes to the city’s existing scheme. We’ve been in discussions for some time now and the council have always been strong advocates as it improves inclusivity. It’s great that the project will now become a reality.
“EBikes will make cycling around Glasgow easier and faster than ever before – especially when used to tackle some of the city’s steeper hills. Glasgow is a flagship scheme, so it seems fitting that the city will get our first significant fleet of e-bikes.”
