Serco, the international provider of services to governments, has signed a three-year contract extension with Transport for London (TfL) to continue providing, maintaining, and distributing the bikes on the London cycle hire scheme, known as Santander Cycles. The extension, which includes the provision of the newly introduced e-Bikes, is valued at £50m and will see Serco continue to support the scheme until 2025.
Serco has been involved in the London cycle hire scheme since its very inception in 2010 having been responsible for its initial design, build and operation, and since 2017 being responsible for the provision, maintenance, and distribution of the 12,000 bikes around London.
Throughout our involvement Serco has supported TfL in introducing innovations to improve the operation of the scheme and the experience for customers, most recently with the introduction of 500 new e-Bikes. This follows previous innovations including laserlights to make riders more visible, AI technology to predict the movement and distribution of bikes around London and GPS technology that can assist with recovery of lost or stolen bikes.
The cycle hire scheme continues to see record hires with 9.5million so far this year, 1.2 million higher than at the same point last year, and with every month from August 2021 to August 2022 recording record hires for the corresponding month.
Sam Jones, Serco’s Micromobility Director, said: “At Serco we are extremely proud of our long-standing support for the London cycle hire scheme and relationship with TfL, having been responsible for the scheme’s initial design, build and operation and more recently the supply, maintenance and distribution of the bikes. This new contract extension will continue the relationship, support the introduction of the new e-bikes, and deliver over £2m in operational savings for TfL.”
David Eddington, TfL’s Head of Cycle Hire, said: “Our popular Santander Cycle Hire scheme has gone from strength to strength in recent years. It provides an active and sustainable way of getting around the capital and is available for all Londoners to use and enjoy. With the support of Serco, we have been able to make cycling more accessible through the introduction of e-bikes. By providing a boost as you pedal, the new e-bikes are helping people overcome barriers to cycling, including fitness, age, and journey length. We have worked with Serco since the launch of the scheme in 2010 and our continuing relationship will help to ensure the continuing success of Santander Cycles, introducing more people to the joys of cycling.”