The Government has announced the winners of a £700,000 competition to provide cycle hire schemes with electric bikes.
The e-bikes can move to battery-assisted peddling with the flick of a switch, making it easier to negotiate hills or just a take a break on the way home.
In total 11 schemes are in line to receive the bikes through the Department for Transport's Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Sharing Pilot Scheme.
Projects include 70 e-bikes for an existing popular travel hub in Rotherham and 25 for a new tourist cycle-hire scheme in the Isle of Wight.
There is also a winning partnership combining nextbike and First Great Western delivering a start-up operation of 22 e-bikes at railway stations and business parks, integrated with car club operations.
Transport minister Andrew Jones said: ‘Electric bikes are a great way to encourage new people to get into cycling and today’s announcement will provide an opportunity for thousands more to enjoy the advantages they offer.
‘We want to double the number of journeys made by bicycle. That is why we are also investing over the next five years in cycle training and infrastructure.’
The Department for Transport said it expects tourists and occasional riders to be able to hire the bikes for one-off sessions, or more regular users to register with car clubs to use the e-bikes for as little as £1 an hour.
For a full list of the winning schemes see here.
