There will soon be 2,000 Mobike ‘smart bikes’ across the borough after the company decided to expand its presence in Ealing in response to increased demand from residents.

In February it will create 70 new Mobike parking hubs across the borough. This will make the scheme more widely accessible.

The expansion follows discussions between the council, Mobike and stakeholders in order to meet increasing demand for bike sharing in the borough.

Residents and people who work or visit the borough are encouraged to use the service and can enjoy a discounted deposit of £1. Users are then charged 50p for 30 minutes and simply need to download the Mobike app, register, and scan the QR code on the bike.

‘The expansion of Mobike could not have come at a better time’

With Mobike’s proprietary smart-lock technology, scanning the QR code instantly unlocks the bike and allows the user to ride it away. To complete their ride, users need only to park the bike anywhere regular bike parking is allowed near their destination and manually close the lock on the bike.

Parking a dockless bike in an appropriate location is important for other users and residents who are walking around the borough. Users need to be careful they park thoughtfully or in an assigned parking hub, if not; this can block the pavement for wheelchairs users, push chairs, vision impaired and other residents.

Council leader Julian Bell said: “The expansion of Mobike could not have come at a better time. We’ve seen high usage rates from residents since launching last September in Acton and the more residents getting active on their journey around the borough the better. As a cyclist myself, I know how convenient it is to get on two wheels so to have the dockless bikes more widely available across the borough is great.

“We have a good network of cycle paths and quiet ways which make it more safe and pleasant for cyclists. We hope that having the opportunity to quickly and cheaply grab a Mobike to pop to the shops, or to make a short journey, will show our residents just how easy it is to travel by two wheels and encourage more of them to make the switch for good.”

Steve Pyer, UK General Manager for Mobike, said: “This development showcases Mobike’s rapid development across London and how our bikes are increasingly becoming a part of Londoners’ everyday life. This expansion improves accessibility and allows Mobikers to travel further, as well as support local councils in their health and sustainability goals.”

Download the Mobike app

The Mobike mobile app is now available for download in London at the Android store and Apple store.