More than 90,000 people now signed up as members of Barclays Cycle Hire
"The doom mongers and naysayers who darkened my days with pre launch predictions of cycle hire woe have been vanquished"
Boris Johnson
Mayor of London

The doom mongers and naysayers who darkened my days with pre launch predictions of cycle hire woe have been vanquished

  • Barclays 'thank you' to rider of one millionth cycle hire journey

The Mayor's flagship cycle hire scheme hit the million journey milestone today, just ten weeks after its launch.

The incredible enthusiasm with which Londoners have embraced Barclays Cycle Hire has seen more than 90,000 people already sign up as members, making around 20,000 journeys on the iconic blue bicycles every week day.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: 'A million thank yous go to Londoners for the warmth in which they have embraced our beautiful blue bikes.

'The zest in which people have taken to two wheels and joined the cycling revolution we are engendering in the Capital has gladdened my heart.

'Plus the doom mongers and naysayers who darkened my days with pre-launch predictions of cycle hire woe have been vanquished.'

Creating a cycle hire scheme was a key pledge of the Mayor's manifesto and in less than three months it has transformed the way people make trips around central London.

The Capital's latest form of public transport is the most sustainable and environmentally friendly that London has ever seen.

The cycle hire sponsor, Barclays, are offering the person who made the millionth journey, plus three of their friends, free annual membership of the scheme for five years.

The four lucky cyclists will also be offered the chance of an urban cycling makeover, at the Bobbin Bicycles boutique in Islington.

Iconic blue bikes

Deanna Oppenheimer, CEO UK Retail Bank and Vice Chair Global Retail Bank, said: 'The popularity of Barclays Cycle Hire has been tremendous with the millionth journey made in little over two months since the launch.

'We have more than 90,000 pioneer members embracing the scheme, and they have certainly illustrated how successful Barclays Cycle Hire will be. 

'Londoners are leading more active lives and we're promoting the benefits of cycling as a sustainable, environmentally friendly mode of transport, while taking our brand around London.'

Barclays Cycle Hire is due to be opened up to casual users later this year.

In the meantime, anyone who has a debit or credit card with a UK billing address can sign up to use the scheme.

People who sign up for 24-hour, seven-day or annual membership can choose to auto-renew, which means they can start a new hire period whenever they want, by simply inserting their cycle hire key into a docking point and taking a bike.

Of the 92,000 people who have signed up for membership to date, 42 per cent have opted for daily access, four per cent for weekly access and 54 per cent for annual membership, which means they can use the scheme for as little as 12 pence per day.

David Brown, Managing Director of Surface Transport at TfL, said: 'The popularity of our new cycle hire scheme has been phenomenal.

'With one million cycle journeys on the clock and already more than 90,000 members, it is clear that Londoners have embraced the newest addition to the Capital's transport system and are enjoying the freedom and flexibility it gives.

'The vast majority of journeys being made are under the 30 minute mark which means that people are paying no more than a daily, weekly or annual access fee to use the scheme.

'This illustrates that as well as offering those who live or work in London an alternative way to make short trips around the city, they're also getting great value for money too.'


Notes to editors:

  • The creation of an easy-to-use cycle hire system was a key pledge of the Mayor's manifesto. Barclays Cycle Hire is now transforming the way that people make short trips around central London
  • A membership key costs £3. Members must pay an access fee to use the scheme which is £1 for 24 hours, £5 for seven days or £45 for a year. The first 30 minutes of any journey are free from usage charges. Currently, those wishing to use the scheme need to register as a member
  • Around 93 per cent of all journeys made by Barclays Cycle Hire members have been under 30 minutes, which means that the vast majority of people using the scheme aren't paying any more than their daily £1, weekly £5 or annual £45 access fees
  • Examples of journeys that can be carried out within thirty minutes, taken from TfL's cycling Journey Planner, include:
    • Regent's Park to Notting Hill Gate (25 minutes)
    • London Bridge to Hyde Park (27 minutes)
    • Tower Hill to Bond Street (23 minutes)
    • Regent's Park to Westminster Abbey (16 minutes)
    • The British Museum to Green Park (15 minutes)
    • Old Spitalfields Market to Speaker's Corner (27 minutes)
    • High Street Kensington to Leicester Square (19 minutes)
  • Members of the scheme must be at least 18 years old, and you need to be at least 14 years old to use the scheme
  • Barclays Cycle Hire, which is operated by Serco Limited on behalf of TfL, is the most sustainable and environmentally friendly form of public transport ever seen in the Capital
  • The sponsorship deal with Barclays is worth up to £25m over five years and also includes the Barclays Cycle Superhighways
  • Both Barclays Cycle Hire and Barclays Cycle Superhighways are featuring at the TfL stand at the Cycle Show from 7-10 October at Earls Court, London
  • Barclays Cycle Hire and Barclays Cycle Superhighways are building on the massive 117 per cent growth in cycle journeys on London's major roads since TfL was created in 2000
  • Barclays Cycle Hire operates across central London. Docking stations and hire bicycles are available in Camden, City of London, Hackney, Islington, Lambeth, Kensington & Chelsea, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Westminster and several of the Royal Parks