Changes coming to Boris bikes in 2015

It's been a successful year for the beautiful blue bikes, with the highest usage since launch, and new records set. And of course it's been the first full year with the bikes out as far as Hammersmith and Putney.

The rate of change has slowed (hence less posts on this blog!) but we are promised in the coming months new docking stations on Tower Hill, in Vauxhall and near Putney Pier.

And in a new announcement, we hear that TfL will seek to install up to 1,000 new docking points in the existing area covered by the scheme during 2015 - a great Christmas present for all Boris bikers.

Hire charges will also be simplified; it'll cost £2 per extra half hour after the first 30 minutes.
Between 80 and 90 percent of users of course complete their journey in under 30 minutes.

We still await the announcement of the new sponsor to replace Barclays, but with new plans afoot, and at last plans for more protected cycle lanes coming to London's streets, the future looks bright for cycle hire in London.

Happy Christmas everyone!

Expansion to the Olympic Park

Good news that a small expansion of the cycle hire scheme has been announced into the Olympic Park. Eight docking stations will provide 320 docking points. Construction will begin in 2015 and the stations will be opened by early 2016. They will be the first docking points in Newham borough.

There has been criticism of the cycle infrastructure in the Park, but overall I think conditions are appealing enough for a good uptake of cycling in the area. The most popular area for Boris biking currently is Hyde Park; perhaps the Olympic Park will be an eastern hub of similar appeal, also providing some revenue to TfL's coffers.

The news of the extension comes after good news on hire figures during the summer months.

But still there is no news on any further extension in the south, especially to Bermondsey and Camberwell in Southwark borough. This summer TfL had promised that further sites would be sought within the existing zones to intensify the scheme. To my knowledge, none have so far been realised.

New docking stations for SW London

Three new docking stations will open on 28 July, with 78 docking points in total, on Abyssinia Rd, Limburg Rd and Clapham Common Northside, TfL has announced. This will improve access to Clapham Common and the busy shops and restaurants nearby.

Looking at a map, this will add 3 new stations towards the SW tip of the current area. One might hope that an obvious next step would be to add more docking stations north of the A3 eastwards towards Clapham Common tube station and the busy areas of central Clapham, where Superhighway 7 makes its way southwards. I have seen a new station under construction at Stockwell tube.

In a recent online Q&A session Nick Aldworth, head of Barclays Cycle Hire, said that intensification rather than a major new expansion was the current priority. There are certainly areas within the current scope of the scheme which woefully lack capacity. Expect to see more 'mini-expansions' like this one happening in the coming months.

In other news, a new sponsor is sought for the scheme.

Southwest and Beyond

So the big day came and went, without much fanfare. It's interesting to speculate as to why TfL decided to launch this extension at the darkest and bleakest time of the year - almost every day since the launch has seen rain, hardly conducive to cycling, especially the sorts who use Boris bikes. Maybe they want a gentle beginning to the extension.

Comment on the end of the Barclays sponsorship rumbles on. My own view is at the end of this post.

And dock availability is still an issue.

There is interesting news from further afield - Boris bikes have made it to Mont Ventoux and to Gambia. Impressive. Will they make it to Southwark borough anytime soon I wonder?

I posted this about Boris biking in K&C, with a few additions by my TwoWheelsGood friend.

My letter to the Standard about Barclays wasn't published, but here it is if you're interested:

Few will lament the end of the association of Barclays with the Mayor's cycle hire scheme. Despite the promise of £50m sponsorship, barely half of that has emerged. Barclays logos have been lavishly splashed across London's streets, while the bill for installing the 'Boris bikes' has in fact been left to councils, and users who have seen fares double in the past year.

If we are to learn from the mistakes of the past we must ditch the idea that essential public transport options, which cycle hire is, should be paid for by private sponsorship. We don't have the 'Lloyds Underground' or 'Virgin DLR' for good reasons. If cycle hire is worth investing in (which I believe it is) it should be funded centrally from TfL's budget, and, crucially, integrated with other transport options. In the short term this may mean Londoners pay more for the bikes, but with the result that London gains a city-wide affordable cycle scheme giving all of us the chance to travel sustainably and healthily, and, dare I say, with a bit more fun that a crowded train carriage.

Southwestern Extension - what will be new tomorrow?

I thought it would be worth posting some information about the new docking stations which will be going live - many tomorrow, the rest by Spring 2014 (so TfL promise).

Hammersmith and Fulham have published this list.

Wandsworth have this information available.

Lambeth don't unfortunately seem to have any updated information online.

TfL have published this map showing the expanded scheme in its entirety.

And a few more ...

This evening 604 docking stations are live. New ones today include:

• Hawley Crescent (Camden)
• Hertford Road (Hackney)
• Carnegie Street (King's Cross)

So most docking stations other than the major expansion zone (Wandsworth, H&F, part of Lambeth) are now open, though look out for a handful of further new ones in K&C.

The main news story is the end of Barclays sponsorship. Here is the Standard's article.

More new docks as Southwestern Extension draws near

Hammersmith and Fulham, and Wandsworth, are ready for the launch of around 150 new docking stations on Friday.

In the meantime we welcome St Bride Street (City of London), All Saints Church (K&C), and Duke Street Hill (Southwark) to the family. This evening there are 598 live docking stations across London.

In other news, Barclays will not be sponsoring the bikes beyond 2015. Considering the controversy of the sponsorship deal, this is probably for the best, though it will be interesting to see whether a new sponsor takes over, and what the bikes will look like in the post-Barclays era.

Boris bikes rolling out in Hackney

The first new docking stations have gone online in Hackney. I had a lovely cycle around them this afternoon - they should be popular as they are in busy areas, are convenient for commuting into central London, and build on Hackney's reputation as a leading cycling borough.

The new ones so far are:

• Dunston Road
• Belford House
• Shoreditch Court
• Ada Street
• Victoria Park Road

And only 5 days to go until the 13 December official launch of the southwestern extension.

New docking stations - Update

Ahead of the 13 December expansion into southwest London, several more stations have gone live:

Tower Hamlets

• Cadogan Close, Victoria Park
• Wendon Street, Old Ford

Islington

• Islington Green, Angel
• Charlotte Terrace, Angel

Southwark

• Snowsfields, London Bridge

Kensington and Chelsea

• World's End Place, West Chelsea

Lambeth

• Archbishop's Park
• Belvedere Road (extended)

150 new stations are set to go live on 13 December, mainly in Wandsworth and Hammersmith and Fulham. We are also waiting for a number in Hackney to extend the scheme north of the canal, and a few extras in Lambeth.

The expansion comes as hires continue to fall in the existing zone. Bike availability and safety fears seem to be the main factors.

Friday the Thirteenth

Artwork on display at Central St Martins

On Friday 13 December about 150 new docking stations will go live across Hammersmith and Fulham, Wandsworth, and Lambeth. Plus a few others in the existing area. Many new stations have already gone live in Kensington and Chelsea (among the latest are Phene Street, Clarendon Road, Lansdowne Road and St Mark's Road).

This is the most exciting expansion of the Boris bike scheme since the eastern extension in April 2012. It will make the London scheme one of the biggest in the world.

Serious questions are currently being asked about cycle safety in London. For the potential of these new bikes to be realised, much more needs to be done in providing space for cycling in London. But on Friday 13th, thousands more Londoners will have access to a cheap, healthy and convenient transport option. I hope many more will switch to cycling as a result.

More new docks go live in Kensington and Chelsea

K&C is the place to live if you're a Boris biker it seems. Addison Road and Princedale Road went online in September.

From this weekend you can dock in:

Danvers Street (on the riverside a little east of Battersea Bridge)
Thorndike Close (just off Finborough Road)
Evesham Street (n the very north-west of the borough)
All Saints Road (Portobello, just south of Westway)

We look forward to more soon.

Better Boris biking

City University students have presented their findings on improving Boris bikes, including integration with Oyster, upgraded docking stations, and better access to information. The article is worth reading, though several of the recommendations sound expensive. Vending machines for bike equipment sound positively impractical.

Last week we had the news that Boris bikes would be 'going electric', though the truth is not quite what the headline indicates. This would be a separate system for hiring electric bikes in north London, which would not be integrated with Barclays cycle hire. I wish the scheme good luck, as long as it doesn't draw funding away from the improvements and extensions which the Boris bike scheme still needs.

The extended Superhighway 2 has opened, prompting a flurry of new policy announcements from the Mayor. However, there are no docking stations along the new segregated section. A glimmer of light is that Boris has promised the existing section from Aldgate to Bow (where there is no shortage of Boris bikes) will be upgraded with better junctions and more segregation.

And back to the southwest extension, the first 14 docking stations in Hammersmith and Fulham are ready to go in December, it is reported.

Around the boroughs - Wandsworth

Story so far: Wandsworth is a blank canvass, having not been a location in the initial phase or the 2012 extension

Coming soon: 60 docking stations will cover the northern parts of the borough, extending the scheme out from Vauxhall in the east as far as Putney in the west. Highlights will include Battersea Power Station and Battersea Park. The largest dock will be at Clapham Junction. The Council has details of all the new docking stations on its website. Due to the expansion north of the river it will be possible to cross Chelsea, Prince Albert, Wandsworth and Putney bridges and find docks on the other shore. Wandsworth does not have fantastic streets for cycling (the south circular for example is pretty scary for anyone on a bike) but hopefully the arrival of Boris bikes will spur the development of new, safer routes.

The future? Cycle hire could be extended into the south of the borough in due course, and the major redevelopment of the Nine Elms area is an opportunity to develop high quality cycling facilities which link in with the extension of the Northern Line.

Boris rating: 5

Around the boroughs - Islington

Transport of angels - bikes on Liverpool Road

And so to leafy Islington, London's first 20mph borough.

Story so far: The south of Islington has had docking stations since the scheme's launch, and there are plenty places to dock in Angel, Clerkenwell, St Luke's and Finsbury. Cycling facilities are better than many boroughs, particularly as Islington has a 20mph speed limit on its borough roads.

Coming soon: 4 new docking stations will be constructed along the northern edge of the current scheme, the majority close to Caledonian Road. On the Barnsbury Estate a docking station on Carnegie Street will have about 40 docking points, and another is situated nearby on Charlotte Terrace. These are close, but perhaps not quite close enough, to help with the paucity of docks close to King's Cross station. The most exciting new station is on Islington Green, ideally positioned for shops, cafes and restaurants.

Green revolution - docks coming soon to Islington Green

The future? As in Hackney, the expansion of the scheme in Islington is modest, and there are no published plans for further expansion. It would be good to see the scheme pushing northwards in the future into Barnsbury, Islington, along Essex Road, perhaps as far as Highbury and Islington tube station, an important transport interchange. Further attention does need to be given to King's Cross, on the border with Camden borough, where provision is poor.

Boris rating: 5

Around the boroughs - Hackney

Cycle culture: bikes on Pitfield Street

Hackney is famous for, among other things, being London's most cycle-friendly borough. A greater percentage of journeys is made by bike here than in any other London borough. But what about the Boris bikes?

Story so far: There has been cycle hire in Hackney since the launch of the scheme, initially docks were clustered close to the City in Shoreditch and its environs. The eastern extension of 2012 saw the bikes move into Hoxton and Haggerston.

Coming soon: I am grateful to the Suprageography blog for mapping the docking stations to be built on the northern edge of the

Dunston Street: signs of the future

scheme. A trip up north yesterday revealed a number of these stations are now under construction, so ten or possibly more new ones should appear in Hackney, centred on Haggerston north of the Regent's Canal, adding to the borough's bustling cycle culture. Not only will commuters benefit, there are docks situated canalside and close to Broadway Market for those looking for a leisure ride. I expect these docks to be popular, as Hackney has good cycle routes and a safer feel for the less-experienced cyclist.

The Future? Hackney is a large borough and only about a quarter of it will be home to Boris bikes, even after the expansion. I know of no future plans for enlargement in the borough but the cycling culture and a bike-friendly administration could one day see bikes moving further north into Dalston and Stoke Newington and east into Hackney Central and the area north of Victoria Park.

Boris rating: 6

Around the boroughs - Kensington and Chelsea

Story so far: K&C was included in the first phase of cycle hire and marked the western boundary of the scheme. New docks were added when Exhibition Road was repaved, and the 'eastern' extension of the scheme also included docks into the Westfield shopping centre, plus a scattering of stations to connect this to the existing zone. This left the borough essentially split, with no docks in the North Kensington area, or south towards the river.

Royal Borough: new riverside docks at Danvers Street

Coming soon: This year's expansion will make Boris bikes available across the borough, with bikes being added in the north and south, and additional docking stations being installed in the Holland Park area to intensify provision there. A provisional map is available here, though not all these stations have achieved planning permission. By my count, K&C will gain 31 docking stations in total.

The future? K&C is not known for being a bike-friendly borough (as a local councillor admitted to me recently). It has poor cycle routes, no plans for reductions in speed limits, and is generally dominated by motor traffic. Soon the borough will have an abundance of hire bikes, can it develop the infrastructure to enable their safe use by a wide diversity of users?

Boris rating: 6

Around the boroughs - Southwark

In the next two weeks I'm going to review all the boroughs which are currently, or soon to be, involved with the cycle hire scheme. I'll be asking what's there, what's coming, and what's still needed.

There's no particular order, so today I'm starting with Southwark.

Story so far: of all the central London boroughs this has the least docking stations, and most are in the Borough/ Elephant/Bermondsey area. All are popular docks, Hop Exchange probably being the busiest owing to its location close to London Bridge station. Curlew Street in Shad Thames is the easternmost station south of the river.

Southwark site: new docks will soon be here on Snowfields

Coming soon: intensification in the current expansion is limited to 3 docking stations close to London Bridge. These are much needed. Wansey Street has been closed for several months due to the fire at the Cuming Museum, hopefully this too will reopen.

The future? Southwark is the ideal borough for future expansion. It is central, relatively flat, and has potentially good cycling routes. Peckham, Rotherhithe and Camberwell would all be popular for Boris bike locations in my opinion. Docking stations could be added along superhighways 5 and 7.

Boris rating (out of 10): 4

St Martin's Close leads the way

Brand spanking new - St Martin's Close

The new phase of expansion is underway at last. Without fanfare, a new docking station opened at St Martin's Close on Camden Street, an excellent location entering Camden Town from the south. A few hours later Addison Road (see previous post) in Holland Park opened. Others are sure to follow - I saw Serco engineers testing bikes at Princedale Road this afternoon.

Up in Camden, another dock is in preparation in Hawley Crescent. I think this one is less well situated as it's a bit hidden away, but all extra capacity is welcome.

Coming soon - Hawley Crescent

My email to the cycle hire people about the launch date for the extended scheme was met with the rather curt reply 'December'. I expect the main zones of Hammersmith and Fulham, and Wandsworth, will go live then. In the lead up to that, keep watching for new docking stations within the existing zone opening up. Newton Street for example, in Westminster, is also under construction.

It's an exciting time. Please add a comment if you have further news on new stations - I am especially ignorant of what's going on in the north and east of the area currently covered by the scheme.

New docking stations taking shape

26 docking points recently installed on Addison Rd

I took this remarkable picture yesterday morning on Addison Road outside Cardinal Vaughan School (just off Holland Park Avenue), showing one of the new docking stations fully installed and ready for operation. Nearby the groundwork is complete on Holland Park Avenue near Princedale Road and workers are also busy installing docks right outside Holland Park tube station. For this part of London, currently right on the edge of the scheme, this marks significant intensification, and further docks are also being installed across an extended zone reaching west into Hammersmith and Fulham and northwards across more of the borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

And there is news of yet more docking stations being approved, after a dispute over planning.

City of London - Update

Docks coming soon - St Bride Street

Just occasionally one has too much time to spare and you unearth an interesting document on the internet. This happened to me today when I discovered the City of London's most recent council document on cycle hire.

The document recommends that as part of the current expansion of the scheme, four previously agreed docking stations should be installed. It also mentions a possible dock on Upper Thames Street, which is part of TfL's route network.

It's getting better - Bouverie Street

I had a cycle round these streets today. St Bride Street is under construction, and an area of Bouverie Street has been fenced off for an extension. John Carpenter Street has major building works, so nothing here at the moment, and Houndsditch also has work going on - though this would be an excellent new dock so I hope it does appear. Nothing yet on Upper Thames Street either.

The report acknowledges that demand outstrips supply in the Square Mile. I look forward to the new docks, and also hope that this won't be the end of expansion in the City.