00:00I'm Alistair Dalton, the Scotsman's Transport Correspondent, at the launch of what will be a revolutionary change to bike hire in Scotland's two biggest cities.
00:10It's the 3rd of September 2025. I'm in Edinburgh on the first day of a new hire scheme run by Voi on behalf of the City Council.
00:20It's the first time for four years that people in Edinburgh will have been able to hire bikes on the street,
00:25after the last scheme collapsed because of repeated vandalism and theft.
00:31The scheme will be different from the previous Just Eat Cycles operation in that it will be an all-electric fleet,
00:38perhaps wise considering Edinburgh's topography.
00:42Initially, there will be 50 bikes across areas of the city centre and around, and the plan is to increase it to 800 cycles.
00:51Then later this year, by December 2025, Voi has also won the new contract to operate the successful Glasgow Cycle Scheme,
01:02which has been operating since 2014 and has some 1,200 bikes.
01:10Voi again will change the scheme to an all-electric operation.
01:14They say they'll have at least 1,000 bikes on the streets and opportunities to grow there too.
01:20The last scheme had its problems. How are you going to ensure that this new version doesn't meet the same fate?
01:28I think it's fair to acknowledge that the previous scheme did fail, but I think it's time to look at this scheme again.
01:38There are huge advantages to the new scheme. I think the technology has significantly improved with regards to the bikes themselves.
01:48They are certainly very robust. They are very difficult to damage, very difficult to steal,
01:57which was a problem that blighted the previous scheme.
02:00I think people's perception of Cycle Hire has moved on significantly in the last four years.
02:07I think the many visitors and residents who have travelled across the UK and Europe will know that these schemes are up and running elsewhere.
02:19I think there is an expectation that we should have them in Edinburgh, so I'm pleased to bring the bikes back.
02:24The old scheme, you physically docked the bike when you finished with it. This time it's dockless.
02:31Couldn't that cause a problem with bikes being left in the wrong places?
02:35Well, the technology enables real control over where and how the bikes are parked,
02:42and we need to ensure that the bikes are appropriately parked.
02:46It is a trial, so these things will be tested going forward.
02:50And we'll be working very closely with Void to ensure that the bikes are appropriately parked.
02:57If they fall over, they're picked up, and to make sure that the streets remain as uncluttered as possible.
03:04I've just taken the smaller of the two bikes, the Explorer Lite 1, for a wee test ride on parts of the Royal Mile and the surrounding streets.
03:14Quite steep with lots of cobbles, it's wet, but this bike coped really well.
03:19I was actually very impressed with the amount of power and acceleration.
03:24They're relatively heavy, not light as they say, and it is a little bit difficult to get it going,
03:30particularly if you're starting off on a big hill, but as soon as you do get moving,
03:37you can really feel the motor kicking in, and it gives you quite a lot of power pushing you up the hill.
03:43I think people will be quite impressed.
03:47I had low expectations because previous cycle hire electric bikes had been, I felt, a little bit underpowered,
03:55but this one certainly is impressive.
04:00People say that electric bikes are the gateway drug into cycling,
04:05and if you haven't tried one before, I would give this one a go, because you might be quite surprised.
04:12Voi have two types of electric bikes available to the Edinburgh Hire scheme.
04:17First of all, the one that we tested, which was the Explorer Lite one,
04:22which is the zippier one with more power, best for going up hills like we did in the Royal Mile.
04:27It's got a slightly smaller basket and a smaller saddle.
04:33However, the Explorer 4 got a more comfy saddle, bigger basket, two gears.
04:39I'm told it's better for longer rides.
04:42It is bigger and it is heavier,
04:44so it's a case of maybe trying out both and seeing which you prefer.
04:48Yes, it is now.
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