New e-bike leasing scheme launches in the North East

A new e-bike initiative has launched to offer a safe and sustainable mode of transport for workers in the North East.

After having provided support to NHS trusts and area police forces during the coronavirus lockdown, Ride Electric is bringing a flexible long-term e-bike leasing option to businesses throughout the region.

Ride Electric will also expand operations into Northern Ireland as part of an ambitious growth plan.

Ride Electric’s new service will give people returning to work the option of using bikes as their mode of transport.

It follows a study by the Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions (Creds), which highlighted the fact that electric bikes can reduce transport emissions and offer workers a safer way to return to work during the pandemic.

The e-bikes provided come equipped with a pre-configured GPS tracker that can pinpoint the bike’s location and route tracking history, while also providing journey statistics for carbon reduction and staff wellbeing.

Ride Electric’s business development manager Sue Anderson said: “E-bikes have revolutionised the way people travel in Europe and the time is now to fully embrace this technology in the UK.

“We are all aware of the focus on bikes and walking as the solution to assist business staff in getting to work safely during the crisis.

“We believe that this will result in the reallocation of road space for shared use for cars, pedestrians, and of course, bikes. This could remove the historic resistance to cycle use, using a road infrastructure biased toward cars.

“E-bikes allow employees to travel longer distances in shorter times, to arrive at work feeling motivated and energised.

“E-bikes will not only enable businesses to open up but will improve the health of employees, improve the environment, and allow our industries to thrive.”

During lockdown, Ride Electric has been trialling its technology with various organisations as part of a growth strategy to provide a leasing service to partners across the UK.

Inspector Mark Storey of Northumbria Police, who has used Ride Electric’s bikes, said: “We are extremely grateful to Ride Electric for their kind donation of the electric bikes.

“They have proven to be a vital asset to our policing resources and have enabled our officers to cover a larger patrol area as well as helping the environment and promoting fitness.

“The bikes have also been crucial during our COVID-19 response as they have helped us maintain social distancing and given us alternate forms of patrolling to access and support the communities we serve.”