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West Midlands Cycle Hire: Fully Operational

Swapping four wheels for two

Written by Peter Whittington

West Midlands Cycle Hire has celebrated its one-year anniversary and is now fully available and operational ahead of the Commonwealth Games taking place from the 28th of July to 8th of August. They believe cycling to and from work could be beneficial for all.

Cycling to work

"Good for your health, the environment and your pocket!”

With petrol and diesel edging ever closer to £2 a litre, and the impending traffic boom that will inevitably hit with the upcoming games, many West Midlands based commuters (particularly those with short journeys) are questioning whether the daily cost of feeding their car and fighting traffic is truly their best option, with cycling to work providing a cheap, healthy and environmentally friendly alternative.

“There are so many advantages of using cycle hire to get to work; it’s good for your health, the environment and can also be good for your pocket!” (West Midlands Cycle Hire blog)

Why use your own bicycle?

It’s no secret that cycling provides an effective form of exercise, and when performed on a daily basis can be a great way to stay in shape.

Bill Caffrey, a West Midlands based office worker, has been considering ditching his daily car journey in favour of cycling to and from work.

“My work is just under three miles from home, which doesn’t sound like much in terms of petrol, but you would be surprised how quickly it adds up with the stop start traffic on my route.” He continued by talking about the potential convenience of using a bike, stating, “I am constantly seeing people fly past me on their bikes, while I’m sat there looking at the car bumper in front of me.”

"I don’t know the first thing about bikes"

When asked specifically how he would get started with cycling to work, he said, “that’s the trouble isn’t it, I don’t know the first thing about bikes, where do I buy one? I don’t know what’s considered good and what isn’t."

For Bill and many others, the main sticking point seems to be not owning a bicycle, or not knowing where to obtain one that they would feel comfortable riding regularly.

Speaking with West Midlands Cycle Hire, they were keen to point out the significance of not having to purchase or maintain your own bike, “bicycles, particularly those with electric motors can be extremely expensive, both initially, and in the long run. We look after our bikes so all you need to do is get to where you’re going”

Up and running ... rolling.

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, told West Midlands Combined Authority: “I am really pleased to get our West Midlands Cycle Hire Scheme up and running and see the new bikes out on the streets of Sutton Coldfield and Wolverhampton ready to be used".

Crucially, at the time of his statement (coinciding with the launch in March of 2021) the scheme was limited to essential trips such as commutes for critical workers. The bicycles were also available for the government approved daily exercise time during lockdown.

One year later, with the use of a phone app to hire the cycles, the service is now fully operational and available to anyone and everyone looking to trade four wheels for two.

Over 200,000 trips made using their cycles Since launch!

With usage rates increasing as awareness spreads, and covid related limitations being (somewhat) a thing of the past, the scheme is hoping more individuals find the prospect of the service beneficial enough to give it a try.

West Midlands Cycle Hire offers both standard pedal bikes as well as electric bikes. These can be used on a pay as you ride scheme, or with time purchased in advance.

If you are interested in finding out more about West Midlands Cycle Hire, you can visit them at their link below.

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