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Chinese dockless bike-share firm Mobike is to grow its presence in London by expanding its existing scheme in Ealing, and will be dropping bikes in Hounslow, too.
Starting 1st February, Mobike will expand its Ealing operations by more than 500 bikes, increasing the total bike number to over 1,000, and will create 70 new parking hubs across the borough. The expansion follows discussions between Mobike, Ealing council and other stakeholders.
The firm will also be launching a trial scheme in the Chiswick and Brentford areas of neighbouring borough Hounslow.
Mobike general manager Steve Pyer said: “This development showcases Mobike’s rapid development across London and how our bikes are increasingly becoming a part of everyday life."
Ealing Council leader Julian Bell said: “We’ve seen high usage rates [of Mobike’s bikes] from residents since launching last September in Acton and the more residents getting active on their journey around the borough the better. As a cyclist myself, I know how convenient it is to get on two wheels so to have the dockless bikes more widely available across the borough is great."
The Hounslow launch is Mobike’s third London borough operation over the past six months, and follows other launches in Manchester, Newcastle and Oxford.
Last year Mobike partnered with British Cycling with the goal of getting two million more people on bikes in the UK by 2020. The Chinese firm was also awarded with the Champions of the Earth Award from the United Nations Environment, in recognition of the company’s transformative contribution to the advancement of low carbon public transport.
