Bike-sharing schemes, similar to London’s so-called “Boris Bikes” (named after Boris Johnson), began to roll out in parts of the West Midlands in the early 2020s. These distinctive grey-green bicycles were first introduced in Wolverhampton in March 2021, following a trial in Sutton Coldfield the previous month. Later that year, the program expanded to Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, and Walsall. The cost was £1 to unlock a bike via a smartphone app, with an additional charge of 5 pence per minute of usage. Next on ibirmingham.info.
Initially, the bikes were only available for essential trips and daily exercise due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) aimed to encourage more people to be active once restrictions were lifted, a promise they fulfilled successfully.
In 2021, TfWM signed a £5 million, five-year contract with Serco, the company managing London’s cycle hire scheme, to run the bike-sharing program in the West Midlands. The plan aimed to deploy 1,500 bicycles across approximately 170 locations in the region. These West Midlands bikes were manufactured by Pashley Cycles in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, with additional components sourced from other parts of the UK.
Overcoming Challenges During Lockdown
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street anticipated that the bike-sharing scheme would become incredibly popular once lockdown restrictions ended. He urged residents of all ages and abilities to take advantage of the service.
Local cycling groups joined Mayor Street and Councillor Waseem Zaffar, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, to launch the bike-sharing scheme at the University of Birmingham. Eight docking stations were set up on and around the campus.
The primary goal of the program was to encourage a more active and healthier lifestyle while offering an eco-friendly alternative to car travel for shorter journeys. The idea quickly gained popularity among Birmingham residents, with over 14,000 users trying the bikes in the early stages.
Cycling offers numerous benefits, from improving physical fitness to reducing congestion and air pollution. By making bikes accessible to both young and elderly residents through the scheme, the program encouraged more people to opt for pedal power for commuting and errands.
Investments in cycling infrastructure became a key component of the region’s plan to reduce carbon emissions, alleviate traffic congestion, and improve air quality.
Expanding the Scheme
The five-year contract with Serco, the operator behind London’s Santander Cycle Hire, included provisions to increase the number of docking stations and bicycles as demand grew. In addition to manufacturing the bicycles locally, the contract ensured that docking stations and locks were also produced within the West Midlands.
Simon Bailey, Managing Director of Serco’s Leisure Division, highlighted the West Midlands Cycle Hire program as their largest launch to date, following successful rollouts in Wolverhampton, Coventry, Solihull, Stourbridge, and Walsall. The scheme quickly became an integral part of the city’s transport infrastructure.
Professor Tim Jones, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, emphasised the importance of public transport for a city as large as Birmingham. With a university community of around 40,000 staff and students, the introduction of six docking stations on campus was a significant achievement.
Before the pandemic, 10% of university staff and postgraduates commuted by bike. The new bike-sharing scheme, offering convenience and integration with other transport modes like buses and trains, was expected to increase this percentage.
The Swift App Integration
The bikes were initially available for hire through the Beryl Cycle Hire app. Later that year, they became accessible via the Swift app, which offered a comprehensive range of features, including ticket purchasing, journey planning, car rentals, and bike hire.
By May 2021, the West Midlands Cycle Hire program introduced over 300 bikes across 43 docking stations in key locations around Birmingham, including transport hubs like Broad Street and Victoria Square. By the end of the year, this number grew to 83 docking stations and over 700 bikes.
In just the first 14 days, Birmingham residents completed 6,926 trips, covering a total distance of over 23,000 kilometres. On one peak day, 714 trips were recorded, demonstrating the scheme’s immediate popularity.
A Proven Success
The bike-sharing scheme exceeded all expectations, prompting city leaders to plan an expansion with more docking stations, bicycles, and additional facilities. By mid-2021, the program had expanded to seven cities in the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull, Stourbridge, Sutton Coldfield, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. Sandwell joined the initiative later.
Within just a month of its launch in Birmingham, the city planned to add 35 more docking stations. Regional data showed that over 22,000 users had collectively travelled nearly 150,000 kilometres on the new bikes, affirming the scheme’s success and promising a greener future for Birmingham.