Transport for London (TfL) and Santander are boosting the capital’s cycle scheme with 1,400 new e-bikes and the return of the day pass.

1,400 additional e-bikes will be added to the fleet this summer

The £3 day pass lands in March, allowing unlimited journeys under 30 minutes all day. The scheme’s previous £2 day rate was scrapped in September 2023 but now returns on the back of customer feedback.

The scheme will also gain additional e-bikes this summer, boosting the number available to 2,000. More than 750,000 e-bike hires have taken place since they were introduced in 2022, with double the number of hires per bike per day compared to classic bikes.

The new e-bikes will be distributed across key central London locations. They can be docked at any of the scheme’s 800 docking stations. The e-bikes are serviced on street by cargo bikes and electric vans, ensuring that the scheme is as sustainable as possible.

Santander Cycles e-bikes will be available for an additional £1 per half hour with the new Day Pass. E-bikes are otherwise available for £3.30 per 30-minute ride for non-members and customers without a Day Pass, or a fare of £1 per 60 minutes for monthly and annual members.

David Eddington, TfL’s head of cycle hire, said: “Santander Cycles is a vital part of London’s transport system and we are constantly looking for ways to improve the scheme, as well as making it as accessible as we can. Santander Cycle e-bike usage in the capital is now more popular than ever so these additional e-bikes will allow more people to be able to access them. We’ve also listened to our customers regarding our fare tariff and are introducing a Day Pass to give people making multiple journeys in a day certainty about the overall cost of using the scheme.”

TfL’s ‘Boris Bikes’ saw 6.75 million member hires in 2023; the most in a single year since the scheme began.

Membership prices for Santander Cycles will remain at £20 per month or £120 a year, which allows customers unlimited 60-minute rides and an additional fare for e-bikes of £1. The monthly membership can be cancelled at any time. Members will be able to hire the new Day Pass through the mobile app or with their member key. Customers will also be able to hire with the Day Pass at the terminals with a bank card.

City Hall Conservatives London Assembly Member Tony Devenish welcomed Sadiq Khan’s u-turn on the fares, just weeks after he warned the Mayor’s policies were killing these much-loved bikes.

“I’m delighted Sadiq Khan has finally seen the light and is re-introducing a day pass for Boris Bikes.

“Sadiq Khan and TfL have come close to killing off Boris bikes which are much loved by Londoners. Demand has plummeted 35% since TfL changed the pricing structure in 2022. There were 2.2 million fewer bike hires between July and September 2023 compared to the same period last year.

“TfL blamed ‘inclement weather’ for this drop but today’s u-turn confirms poor leadership from Sadiq Khan is to blame.”