Thursday 8 July 2021

Leicester gets £250k funding to help residents try ebikes

The city and county councils in Leicester and Leicestershire have been provided with £250,000 of funding from the Department of Transport to incentivise residents to adopt electric bicycles (ebikes) for commuting and getting around the area.

Leicestershire County Council is allowing members of the public to apply for a voucher, giving them £300 off the cost of an ebike.

Leicester City Council is also offering free and discounted access to its new ebike share scheme for key workers, recent graduates and those with disabilities.

The ‘Wheels to Work’ scheme ebike fleet, which loans bikes to commuters, is also being expanded.

Councillor Adam Clarke, Deputy City Mayor for Environment and Transport, commented: “Our new ebike share scheme has had a really successful start, with more than 10,000 trips made so far. This additional funding from the Department for Transport will allow us to introduce even more people to the scheme.

“We’ll also be using the money to provide more people with ebikes on loan so that they can choose active travel for their commute and we’ll be making cycling more inclusive through our free training and try-out events.

“It’s vital that we find innovative travel solutions to help tackle the climate emergency. We’re proud of the range of healthy, active travel initiatives we have in Leicester, backed up by increasingly people-friendly streets to help make cycling a safer and more attractive option for everyone.”