nextbike UK has announced plans to double the number of bicycles in the Welsh capital by summer 2019.
The nextbike Cardiff scheme launched in March with 5 docking stations and 50 bikes, and as of September there have been 500 bikes. A further 65 docking stations will go live next year, doubling the number of bikes.
Last month Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport at Cardiff Council, Councillor Caro Wild, revealed that in October there were over 50,000 rentals in Cardiff, and nearly 150,000 since launching.
Speaking about the schemes success, he said: “We’ve broken records in terms of the most popular scheme across the UK so we’ve just been delighted, but also delighted how it’s brought lots of different people to maybe take a bike for the first time that otherwise wouldn’t have done.
“There’s bike hire places not just in the city centre – we’re out in some of our suburbs which have also been popular.”
“People are sick of congestion. A lot of people don't want to use their cars but they haven’t had alternatives in the past.”
nextbike have teamed up with Cardiff Bay-based charity Pedal Power to maintain the bikes – they will grow their team to keep up with the demand.
One student from the city, Ella Walsh, said that hiring the bikes is “really easy” and that pricing was “reasonable”.
Dave Leemas is a regular nextbike user, he believes that the scheme is “great” for commutes, and believes it is “faster and more under your own control than public transport”.
In weeks to come the company will be asking their social media followers for input on where the new docking stations should be. 65 locations will be picked before the roll-out begins in 2019.