What is this?
The consultation is now closed.
We are seeking your views on the proposed locations for cycle hire stations as the next phase of Greater Manchester’s new cycle hire scheme is delivered.
Transport for Greater Manchester, working in partnership with Manchester City Council, Salford City Council and Trafford Council, has launched Greater Manchester's first publicly operated, self-service, 24/7 cycle hire scheme.
The scheme is managed and funded by TfGM, on behalf of Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and operated on a day-to-day basis by Beryl, the experienced bike-share company which already works with other cities and regions including London, Watford, Bournemouth, Norwich and Hereford.
There are already 30 cycle hire stations on sites in Oxford Road, the University of Salford and at MediaCityUK, and feedback from a trial of the scheme in these locations has been positive.
When the scheme is fully rolled out, there will be over 1,500 cycles at more than 200 docking stations across Manchester, Trafford and Salford. The traditional bikes and electric bikes are available on a Pay As You Ride (PAYR) basis. Pedal bikes cost 50p to unlock and 5p per minute to ride; e-bikes cost £1 to unlock and 10p per minute to ride.
The next phase of the scheme sees docking stations being delivered at 172 new sites in Manchester, which are being consulted on because they are proposed to be located on a Manchester City Council footway or carriageway. Another 65 proposed sites are on private land so are not subject to this consultation.
The aim of the scheme is to offer affordable, easy-to-use cycle hire that will help promote active travel and reduce congestion across Greater Manchester. The network will be one of the largest docked bike-hire systems outside of London and will give hundreds of thousands of people an affordable, convenient and quick way to get around Manchester, Salford and Trafford.
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How were the sites chosen?
The sites were selected using desktop research, local knowledge, site visits, and by considering what we know about new and proposed city centre developments.
The proposed locations were chosen because of their large resident population, high number of visitors, proximity to attractions, and high cycle use among groups such as students. Sites in the city centre are central and serviceable; they are also close enough to one another (around a five-minute walk) so that users can walk to an alternative location if there are no bikes available at the first station they visit.
An average station footprint is around 10m x 2m, although there are many stations that are smaller or larger. The criteria used to select sites include:
- Where sites are proposed to be on a footpath, there must be a minimum of 2m clear space still provided for pedestrians once it’s installed.
- No site should impact on any listed building or heritage infrastructure.
- No site should be too close to electronic advertisement boards.
- A site shouldn’t be opposite or close to a building’s fire exit.
- Sites preferably should not cover road gullies.
- Each site will ensure good visibility, accessibility, and security for the users.
The scheme will be operated by Beryl on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester. If users don’t park in a designated bike-hire station, they will be charged an ‘out of bay’ fee and Beryl’s operations team will collect the bike and move it to the nearest bay as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours.
In some cases, for the cycle-hire stations to be installed, it may require prohibition of driving orders or new parking restrictions (eg. no waiting at any time/no loading at any time). Where this is the case, residents will be notified through notices on lampposts.