New fleet of e-bikes expected as Swedish firm Voi awarded Glasgow cycle hire scheme contract

Glasgow will get a new fleet of e-bikes for hire after councillors agreed to award a contract to Swedish firm Voi.

The city’s nextbikes, provided by TIER, will be replaced as a result of the deal which includes a commitment to supply a minimum of 1,000 bikes.

Currently, Glasgow has 1,030 bikes and 209 e-bikes available at 113 stations. Non-electric bikes will no longer be provided.

A council official said the new contract had “reduced the overall cost to the end user per minute”.

Voi, which operates across Europe in cities such as Barcelona and Berlin, was recently chosen to run a new bike hire scheme in Edinburgh, with an initial trial beginning on September 3.

Its contract in Glasgow will include a four-month mobilisation period to allow time for bikes to be purchased and customer data to be transferred.

Initially, the deal will run for three years but there is an option to extend it for a further two 12 month periods. The anticipated spend over the full five years is £1m.

Councillors approved a recommendation to award the contract to Voi at a meeting on Thursday. Cllr Dan Hutchison, Greens, said the new bikes were “a very exciting prospect”.

He asked officials about the proposed price for users and whether the old fleet would remain in use.

An official said the pricing structure would “completely change”. Under the current scheme, users hire a bike for 30 minutes, he said. “In the new system, it’s basically going to be minute by minute.”

He added the council does not own the current bikes, which are “very, very tired, very, very old”. “They are of a technology and a standard that the new operator would not use.

“We will have a brand new fleet brought in as part of this contract.”

Users will download the Voi app which will enable them to locate bikes. They can then be unlocked by scanning a QR code.

The council official said the contract will allow for both dockless and docked bikes. He explained users could “only be able to off hire the bicycle within a set distance, for example six feet or ten feet from a known location”.

“However, we have allowed for docked scenarios for those locations where, for example St Enoch Square or George Square, or where… we do want to be really, really strict on where the bikes are actually going to be off hire.”

The new contract covers the supply, operation and maintenance of the scheme. Three companies submitted bids after 12 had initially expressed an interest.

Current provider TIER, which manages the nextbikes, did bid for the contract but was not recommended by officials.

A council report states: “As the largest city in Scotland, with a population in the region of 635,130, the council considers that there remains scope for the provision and development of the current MACH [mass automated cycle hire] scheme within Glasgow’s environs.

“The council recognises the significant role cycling plays in reducing emissions and congestion by offering a healthy and efficient alternative for short journeys.

“By promoting bike usage, the scheme not only supports environmental goals but also encourages a healthier lifestyle. Therefore, the council is eager to expand the current scheme and encourage further growth.”