Leeds City Council is planning to submit a £2m funding bid to implement a fully docked, public electric bike hire scheme in the city.

The funding would be used for some 630 e-bikes across the city centre

The executive board will meet next Wednesday 9 February to consider a report on an e-bike scheme, seeking to approve its application, including measures for design, delivery and operation.

If approved, the council will then bid for funding, which would be used for some 630 e-bikes. These would be located across 140 hubs/docking stations located at close intervals for convenience. The aim is to keep prices comparable to public transport fares, but a tariff for the scheme will be set once an operator is procured.

The scheme is initially proposed to run in the city centre and along key corridors identified where demand is likely to be highest. However, potential public bike operators would be able to submit a bid that includes other areas under the procurement process.

The bikes would be available for public use, including residents, students, workers, and visitors of Leeds, and would need to be docked at the end of the trip.

Leeds City Council will propose a variety of ways to pay for hire of e-bikes, such as pay-as-you go, monthly and corporate memberships with the potential to integrate with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority MCard.

It will also look to introduce a public bike hire scheme where the infrastructure will be publicly funded through the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) and operated by an external bike hire organisation.

The scheme is designed to ensure a low carbon mobility choice is available throughout Leeds and supports the council’s Connecting Leeds Transport Strategy. This includes an increased focus on cycling, which is seen as vital to meet the council’s pledge for Leeds to become carbon neutral by 2030. Work by the council to cut transport emissions has already enabled it to drop plans for a Clean Air Zone that the Government had mandated for 2020.

Councillor Helen Hayden, executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “Introducing an e-bike scheme will send a strong message, to the public and businesses, that Leeds is a modern, forward-looking city and is serious about tackling the climate emergency.

“I was fortunate enough to try riding a e-cargo trike last year. I found it to be easy to do in everyday clothes and, despite a heavy load in the bike box, it was a really easy ride.

“I appreciate however, e-bikes are more expensive to purchase than conventional bikes and therefore for the public to be able to access low-cost, easy access e-bikes through a docked, public electric bike hire scheme will give everyone the opportunity.”

Details of the scheme will go under public consultation once funding for the project has been secured.