The ride sharing and taxi giant Uber is set to launch a new e-bike hire scheme. The trial will see 350 bikes launched in Islington, London which will be available to Uber app users.
Following success in the US and some European cities, Uber is bringing the JUMP bikes to London, costing just £1 to release the bikes and then 12p per minute with the first 5 minutes free. According to Regional General Manager, Jamie Heywood, the scheme hopes to “help make the city a cleaner place to live, and help London breathe.”
Islington is the first London borough to take on the e-bikes, confident that they will provide residents with another, more accessible mode of transport. Once riders are finished using them, unlike with Santander Cycles, they won’t need to find a docking station. Instead users will be able to use the in-built cable lock to secure the bike, as long as they are not left in designated no parking zones around hospitals, canals and protected areas, as shown on the app. If riders do leave their bikes there, they will be fined £25.
Jump bikes are also available in Berlin, Lisbon, Brussels, Paris and Madrid.
