Request ID: FOI-2211-2122 Date published: 17 January 2022
You asked
I would like to submit a Freedom of Information (‘FOI’) request for full details of the cost of a Santander bicycle in each city that the scheme operates in (London, Milton Keynes, Swansea and Brunel). To be clear, this is the unit cost for Santandar to purchase one bike to be used in the scheme, rather than the cost to the consumer.
I also request a full breakdown of how the charges for a lost or damaged bike are calculated and the justification for such varied costs between London, where a lost bike costs £300.00 and the other cities, where the cost of a damaged bike is £75.00.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-2211-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 27 December 2021, asking for information about Santander bicycles.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked:
I would like to submit a Freedom of Information (‘FOI’) request for full details of the cost of a Santander bicycle in each city that the scheme operates in (London, Milton Keynes, Swansea and Brunel). To be clear, this is the unit cost for Santander to purchase one bike to be used in the scheme, rather than the cost to the consumer.
Bikes for the scheme are purchased on behalf of TfL by the Bike Management Supplier of the scheme. The cost of a Santander Cycles bike is £1,098.09. We only operate the London Cycle Hire scheme and do not hold information for other cities.
I also request a full breakdown of how the charges for a lost or damaged bike are calculated and the justification for such varied costs between London, where a lost bike costs £300.00 and the other cities, where the cost of a damaged bike is £75.00.
The non-return charge for a customer who fails to return a bike to the scheme following a hire is £300. This figure was aimed to cover the revenue lost by the bike not being able to be hired by other customers and is aimed to be a deterrent to customer misuse. We only operate the London Cycle Hire scheme and do not hold information for the other cities.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Eva Hextall FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
