Glasgow Saddles Up for Free Cycle Hire Offer

18.08.2020

How to sign up: 

  1. Download the 'nextbike' app to register (available on iOS and Android). Alternatively, you can do it on the nextbike website.
  2. Choose your city. Enter your phone number to receive a text with your account pin number. Don’t forget to accept T&Cs.
  3. Select ‘Menu’ (three dashes on the upper left corner).
  4. Select ‘Activate Account’.
  5. To activate your nextbike account you must complete the ‘Profile Fields’ and ‘Unlock Options’. Then, verify your account by clicking on the link sent to you by email.
  6. Enter your details in ‘Profile Fields’.
  7. Select ‘Unlock Options’ and select ‘Credit/debit card’. £5 credit will be taken as a security deposit and will be used to verify your account. If you want your £5 refunded to your bank account when you close down your account, please contact our Customer Service team on 020 8166 9851.  

 

Note: Anyone without a bank card or who needs extra support registering can contact Bike For Good for help: email wheelbeing@bikeforgood.org.uk or call: 07541 640693

 

You are now ready to rent! 

 

Thanks to Glasgow City Council and Transport Scotland, the first 30 minutes of each rental are temporarily free until Spring 2021. This offer is only valid for standard bikes (e-bikes excluded). Memberships and Pay As You Ride rates apply after the initial 30 minutes free period.

 

  • If you are a Pay As You Ride user, rides over 30 minutes will be charged at the normal PAYR rate of £1 per 30 minutes. 

  • If you have already purchased a membership, rides over 60 minutes will be charged at the normal membership rate of £0.50 per 30 minutes. For more information about our memberships click here

 

Note: If you return your nextbike at an official station before your initial 30 minutes free are over, you can rent it again to get an additional 30 minutes free. To find the station map or for more information, open the nextbike app or visit our website.

 

How to use a nextbike (standard bike):

  • To rent: The easiest way to rent is via the app! Open the nextbike app and scan the QR code on the bike or enter the bike number. Alternatively, you can call our hotline (020 8166 9851). You will receive a code to unlock the nextbike. Wake up the bike computer by pressing any button, enter the code and press 'OK / END'. Remove the front lock from the wheel and bike stand securing it in the holster behind the basket.
  • To park temporarily: Put the front lock through the wheel, wake up the bike computer by pressing any button and press 'TP'. To unlock the bike, enter the code in the bike computer once again and press 'OK / END'. Note: Temporary parking does not pause your rental. Your time is still running. 
  • To return: Slide the lock through the front fork and the bike stand until it clicks and locks. Wake up the bike computer by pressing any button and press 'OK / END'. The bike computer will say 'RETURNED' and your app will update once the bike has been successfully returned.  

 

Note: To correctly return a nextbike you must return it to an official station. Any nextbike returned outside an official station will be subject to a £10 fine. This will increase to £20 for a second offence and £30 for the third offence. If a customer returns a bike incorrectly more than three times, their account will be shut down.

 

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 Update 17/08/2020

 

Glasgow’s Free Cycle Hire Offer Extended until Spring 2021

 

Cycling for those everyday journeys just got easier, with the news that our free cycle hire offer through the nextbike scheme will continue to be available until next spring.

 

Since the end of June and for an initial two month period, the first 30 minutes of standard nextbike cycle hire has been at no cost to the hirer. For casual users of the scheme, every rental under 30 minutes duration has been free of charge, and for existing subscribers, this has been extended to the first 60 minutes of any hire. There is no limit on the number of times this offer can be used by a person.

 

Funded by Smarter Choices Smarter Places, which is Paths for All’s programme to increase active and sustainable travel throughout Scotland (grant-funded by Transport Scotland), Glasgow’s free cycle hire offer will be extended until March 2021.

 

Our hugely popular cycle hire scheme was launched in 2014, with nextbike currently making available for hire, 800 bikes across 78 city locations.  This level of provision, in addition to the creation of temporary pop-up cycle lanes as part of our Spaces for People programme; combine to increase the accessibility and attractiveness of cycling for everyday journeys, particularly for those new or returning to cycling who may not own a bike.

 

The free 30 minute offer has certainly encouraged the people of Glasgow to travel actively, with nextbike hire numbers up by almost 25% for the first month of the launch in comparison with the same period last year.

 

Councillor Anna Richardson, City Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction said;

“This free hire initiative will help to encourage people who perhaps haven’t considered cycling before to give it a try.  Having thirty minutes of free travel every time right through to next spring, will let people see for themselves that it’s a convenient, healthy and environmentally positive way to travel around our city centre and neighbourhoods.

 

“We’ve recently seen the popularity of cycling swell, and as lockdown restrictions are relaxed we’re keen to maintain this mode of travel as an attractive, safe, long-term transport choice for everyday journeys.“

 

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said: “I’m pleased that Scottish Government funding can extend this welcome free cycle hire initiative across Glasgow to keep people cycling.

 

“Walking, wheeling and cycling is great for our health, protects the environment and helps us manage demand on public transport as we respond to the COVID-19 crisis. By offering 30 minutes of free travel through the nextbike service, we can continue to encourage greater numbers of cycling trips for everyday journeys – and help leave space on public transport for those that need it most.

 

“This is another innovative initiative funded through our Smarter Choices Smarter Places programme which is delivered by Paths for All. We will continue to explore opportunities to build an Active Nation by incentivising active and sustainable travel.”

 

Ian Findlay CBE, Chief Officer at Paths for All said: “We are very pleased to be supporting this initiative through our Smarter Choices, Smarter Places programme which helps local authorities across Scotland encourage more journeys by foot, bike or public transport.

 

“It’s great to see that so many Glasgow residents have already taken advantage of this bike hire offer and we hope many more will in the months to come.

 

“Providing more opportunities that give people an alternative to taking the car for short journeys is not only important for the environment but also for our physical and mental wellbeing.”

 

Krysia Solheim, nextbike UK MD, said: “It’s fantastic to see that the free offer has been extended until spring 2021 and it shows a serious commitment to cycling from Glasgow. We know that motorised traffic fell to unprecedented levels during lockdown and many people turned to nextbike and cycling as a safe and healthily way to get around the city. We hope that even more people decide to take up the free ride offer and give cycling a go over the next few months to help them form healthy, sustainable new habits that will last a lifetime.”

 

You can hire a nextbike on a Pay As You Go basis or by subscription. Registration is via app, website or hotline, with full details available on the nextbike website and at docking stations across the city.

 

Find out more here about how to hire a nextbike, and for more information about cycling in Glasgow, visit our cycling webpages.

 

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 Original article: 2020-06-28

 

Glasgow Saddles Up for Free Cycle Hire

 

Glasgow is encouraging everyone to consider cycling for everyday journeys as COVID-19 lockdown restrictions are eased, with an offer of free cycle hire through our nextbike scheme.

 

From today, (Monday 29 June 2020), the first 30 minutes of standard nextbike cycle hire will be at no cost to the hirer. For casual users of the scheme, every rental under 30 minutes duration will be free of charge, and for existing subscribers this will be extended to the first 60 minutes of any hire. There is no limit on the number of times this offer can be used by a person.

 

Available until 24 August 2020, this free hire offer is funded by Transport Scotland through the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places programme.

 

Glasgow’s hugely popular cycle hire scheme was launched in 2014, with nextbike currently making available for hire, 800 bikes across 79 city locations.  This level of provision and the 30 minutes free offer, in addition to the creation of temporary pop-up cycle lanes as part of our Spaces for People programme; combine to immediately increase the attractiveness of this mode of transport, especially to those who haven’t previously considered cycling for everyday journeys, or don’t own a cycle.

 

Glasgow’s vision is to create a vibrant cycling city where cycling is accessible, safe and available to all. Cycling reduces congestion in busy areas and is a greener, healthier way to move around, as well as offering the space and freedom to practice safe physical distancing.

 

Councillor Anna Richardson, City Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction said: “This free hire initiative, will help to encourage people who perhaps haven’t considered cycling before to give it a try.  Having thirty minutes of free travel every time, will let people see for themselves that it’s a convenient, healthy and environmentally positive way to travel around our city centre and neighbourhoods.

 

“We’ve recently seen the popularity of cycling swell, and as lockdown restrictions are relaxed we’re keen to maintain this mode of travel as an attractive, safe, long-term transport choice for everyday journeys.“

 

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said: “I’m pleased we can offer free access to bikes in Glasgow and Edinburgh through our support of the Smarter Choices Smarter Places programme. We’ve seen increased rates of cycling and increased use of our public hire bicycle schemes across the lockdown period and this offer will help maintain this shift in travel behaviour at a critical time in our COVID-19 response.

 

“By offering free 30 minute trips, in conjunction with temporary infrastructure in Glasgow and Edinburgh, we can greatly incentivise more sustainable everyday journeys in Phases 2 and 3 of the Scottish Government route map.

 

“For people in our two biggest cities, this initiative will benefit our health, our environment and will help to manage demand on our public transport network.”

 

Krysia Solheim, nextbike MD, said: "Giving everyone a free 30-minute cycle - as we have done in our projects in Stirling and Milton Keynes - will open the joy of cycling to more and more people who will soon see why two wheels is always better than four."

 

You can hire a nextbike on a Pay As You Go basis or by subscription. Registration is via app, website or hotline. 

 

More details on this free standard cycle hire offer, which is available until 24 August 2020, can be found here.

 

For more information on cycling in the city visit www.glasgow.gov.uk/cycling