Richmond approves new, borough-wide hire e-bike service

An important step towards maintaining rental e-bikes in Richmond upon Thames has been given the green light, with the Council’s Transport and Air Quality Committee this week approving a recommendation to appoint Forest as the borough’s next hire e-bike operator, subject to contract, from this summer.

Rental e-bikes are now firmly part of Richmond’s transport mix – with more than 1.5 million journeys made last year alone – providing a quick, easy, and sustainable travel option. Residents have told the Council they want the service to continue, but better managed – feedback which directly shaped the recent procurement process.

The recommendation followed a rigorous and transparent process, including borough-wide consultation garnering more than 1,000 responses, an open Select Committee-style public hearing with all operators, and detailed evaluation of bids. Operators were assessed on service quality, safety, parking management, customer experience, pricing, and value for money for local taxpayers. Bids were considered from both single operators and two-operator models. The Council thanks operators who took part in the process, and to Lime for their five years of service in the borough. 

All operators demonstrated a strong level of service, with Forest scoring highest overall against the Council’s evaluation criteria.

The new arrangement once in place will deliver a good deal for users through competitive pricing, more bikes and unify the service within borough and into all neighbouring boroughs. In financial terms the Council will receive a significant annual concession payment from the new operator, enabling the Council to deliver value and resilience for taxpayers in a challenging time.

The Council will now work to finalise a contract with the operator and ensure a smooth transition, including clear information for residents.

Further information will be widely publicised ahead of the change taking effect.