A new pay-as-you-go electric bike hire scheme is to be rolled out in Derby from Spring 2023, giving residents greater transport choices within the city.

In total of 550 e-bikes, which are being made available at no cost to the Council, will be operated by the world’s leading shared electric vehicle company Lime.

The initial launch will see 150 e-bikes rolled out in key locations, giving citizens access to more affordable travel choices, whilst also reducing pollution and congestion and improving public health. A further 400 e-bikes will be introduced at a later stage.

The Council is planning to re-invest the funding secured from the Department for Transport (DfT), which had initially been allocated to the scheme, to support cycle infrastructure within local communities and popular cycle locations.

Lime will be launching its latest Gen4 e-bike model in Derby, which features:

  • An impressive range of 64km with swappablereplaceable batteries which will be monitored by Lime, keeping e-bikes on the streets for longer
  • Built-in front and rear lights – with rear lights that brighten when the bike brakes
  • Increased motor power to help riders easily climb hills and restart their ride when stopped/stationary at red traffic lights or zebra crossings
  • A phone holder, allowing riders to easily navigate and follow directions without having to stop and check directions

Councillor Steve Hassall, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Decarbonisation, Strategic Planning & Transport, said:

I’m thrilled to announce that we will be welcoming this new fleet of e-bikes to Derby through our partnership with Lime. E-bikes are an excellent alternative to shorter car journeys, providing citizens with a clean, convenient and cheaper transport option.

This scheme is another step towards our ambition to make electric transport more accessible within Derby and achieve our target to become Carbon Neutral by 2035.

Hal Stevenson, Senior Public Affairs Manager for Lime in the UK, said:

We are delighted to be bringing our e-bikes to Derby next year. Our new service will offer residents and visitors a new active and sustainable travel option to get around the city. We look forward to working in partnership with Derby City Council, with our scheme supporting their wider plans to install more cycling infrastructure and reduce local reliance upon cars.

The e-bikes will be available for hire via the Lime app and will cost £1 to unlock and then 17p per minute. Minute bundles will be available to purchase, providing great discounts on the standard tariff.

In addition to this, Lime will offer 50% off the cost of e-bike rides for lower income residents via its Lime Access programme. The programme provides eligible riders with unlimited discounts, helping them to get where they need to go in a safe, sustainable and affordable way. Eligible riders include existing concession pass holders, key workers, students and job seekers.

The new scheme in Derby will build upon lessons learnt from previous schemes with increased security and support from local partners. Users will be required to go through an enhanced multi-factor authentication process, uploading a copy of their ID to activate their Lime account and start riding. The technology for managing schemes such as this has improved greatly in recent years, allowing bikes to be redistributed quicker and giving greater security through more effective monitoring. The scheme also will introduce new technology that can limit the bike’s speed in busy areas.