eBike scheme for Greater Manchester commuters

Sarah Riley, Community Development Coordinator at Great Places Housing Group using her eBike

Electric bikes are being loaned to Greater Manchester businesses for free in a bid to get commuters switched on to cycling and plugged into a more environmentally friendly future.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has launched a scheme lending businesses and organisations electric bikes – or eBikes as they’re often known – with a fleet of 21 available for people to give cycling a go as part of their working day.

An eBike offers battery-assisted pedalling with the flick of a switch, making cycling easier for people who are keen to try it out but who may be put off by hilly routes or not having cycled regularly.

The eBikes loan programme is an expansion of the existing Bikes for Business scheme, which TfGM has been running since 2012. This encourages employees to trial cycling with a view to increasing both the number of commuters cycling to work and also trips made during office hours by eBike.

The scheme is funded by the Government’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund, which aims to tackle congestion and reduce carbon emissions by promoting the use of sustainable modes of transport.