Glasgow rental bike statistics 2023: Bicycle hire in Glasgow sees 2,000 rentals a day

A Glasgow bike hire scheme saw about 2000 rentals a day in August as popularity for the service grows in the city.

In the last 20 months people have hopped on OVO bikes almost a million times for journeys around the city according to a council paper.

A council update on bicycle hire said:  “In August this year, rentals for both standard bikes and e-bikes were averaging almost 2000 per day” in Glasgow.

Prices for rental vary with pay as you ride costing £1 for 20 minutes and there are also monthly and annual rates.

People can hire the bikes from Mount Vernon in the east to Scotstoun and Anniesland in the west, and from Springburn, Possil and Maryhill in the north to Corkerhill and Cathcart in the south.

The Glasgow cycle hire scheme known as OVO Bikes began in 2014 and is delivered by nextbike by TIER in partnership with the city council.

An update on its progress will be presented at next week’s Operational Performance and Delivery Scrutiny Committee in answer to a request for further information from Labour councillor Maureen Burke.

The update said: ”Almost a million trips have been made in the last 20 months alone. With the scheme now having recorded in excess of 2.5 million journeys since commencement.”

It added: “Since the scheme started in 2014, almost 240,000 people have registered with 2880 people on average registering every month in 2023.

“There has also been a significant expansion of the hire network, which is now beyond the original target of providing 1000 bikes at 100 hire stations in the city. 2023 saw the creation of our 113th hire station with over 50 per cent of our locations now being equipped to support e-bikes.”

New hire stations have recently been added by the People’s Palace, on Pollokshaws Road next to Pollok Country Park, at the north east corner of Blythswood Square, next to Shields Road Subway Station and also at Glasgow Kelvin College East End Campus.

Another rental location will be in place soon on Clyde Place next to the King George V Bridge .