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BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Edinburgh yet to name operator for new cycle hire scheme
Edinburgh is to trial a new cycle hire scheme in August but an operator has yet to be put in place.A small number of dockless electric bikes are scheduled to be rolled out on the city's streets from the week of 18 August, the City of Edinburgh Council firms, Dott and Lime, are under consideration to run the scheme, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, but a final decision has yet to be the local authority's transport convener, Stephen Jenkinson, said he was "confident" the pilot would run to schedule during the festival season. It will mark the first time in four years that Edinburgh will have a public bike hire Dott and Lime run similar cycle hire programmes in cities across the UK and Europe. Jenkinson said he expected the operator to be chosen next said every effort would be made to "minimise disruption" when the trial begins during the city's annual added: "Our initial target was to launch the trial cycle hire scheme during the month of August, and I remain confident that we'll deliver this."The tender process is still under way, and a contract has not yet been awarded."We're actively working to finalise arrangements and remain committed to making the scheme operational as soon as possible."He said the council was determined that any cycle hire scheme would be "implemented diligently". 'Vandalism and theft' A previous scheme, operated by Serco and sponsored by food delivery service Just Eat, ran for three years between 2018 and 2021 before being ended when the contractor pulled bikes, which had to be unlocked from specialised docking stations placed at points around the city, were beset by issues with vandalism and often had to be retrieved from bodies of water, including the Water of the new scheme will operate the "dockless" model, with the council collecting inappropriately parked bikes and charging the future operator a £235 fee for their mirrors the model used in the City of London, where Lime already has a Greens councillor Chas Booth said: "While it's very welcome news that a new cycle hire scheme has taken a step closer, it's essential that any scheme meets the needs of all the city, including those on low incomes and living outside the city centre."It's also essential the operator addresses the shortcomings of the previous scheme, particularly around vandalism and theft, if it's to become a permanent part of the city's sustainable transport offering." Reporting by local democracy journalist Joe Sullivan.
Edinburgh Reporter
2 days ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Edinburgh's cycle hire scheme is set to launch in August despite delay concerns
Edinburgh's cycle hire scheme is still set for a 'soft launch' in August, despite concerns that it would be delayed and with no operator yet in place. A small number of dockless electric hire bikes are expected to be on city streets by the week of August 18, with the scheme expanding from there. The city's transport boss has said the scheme will be implemented 'diligently', and in a way that fits the Capital's 'specific needs'. While a company to run the hire service will not be selected until the week of August 4, officials believe the launch will run to schedule. Concerns had previously been raised over the ability of the scheme to launch on time. It is understood that two companies, Dott and Lime, are in the running to operate the city's cycle hire service, both of which operate similar schemes across the UK. The city's last cycle hire scheme, known as the Just Eat bikes, collapsed almost four years ago due to a range of issues, with private operator Serco being unwilling to continue running it. Theft and vandalism were major issues, with large numbers of bikes being thrown in the Water of Leith and other bodies of water. Leith councillor and Green co-leader Chas Booth said: 'While it's very welcome news that a new cycle hire scheme has taken a step closer, it's essential that any scheme meets the needs of all the city, including those on low incomes and living outside the city centre. 'It's also essential the operator addresses the shortcomings of the previous scheme, particularly around vandalism and theft, if it's to become a permanent part of the city's sustainable transport offering.' Efforts to reintroduce a cycle hire scheme have been underway since the previous scheme failed, but for several years there were concerns that it would not be feasible to reintroduce one in the city. Among the concerns was the cost that running a scheme could have involved, with the Just Eat bikes scheme costing the city £1.8 million. But by using a dockless model, the new scheme will be run at no cost to the city, with hire fares for the bikes subsidising the costs of running the service. And any cycle hire scheme will see Edinburgh Council collect any cycle hire bikes parked inappropriately, and charge the company running it to get them back. The policy is modelled off of one used in the City of London, where the council holds misplaced hire bikes for 24 hours and then charges operators £235 for their return. Labour councillor and Transport and Environment Committee convener Stephen Jenkinson said: 'Our initial target was to launch the trial cycle hire scheme during the month of August, and I remain confident that we'll deliver this. 'As ever, we'll work closely with summer festival operators and our other partners to minimise disruption during this busy period. 'However, the tender process is still underway, and a contract has not yet been awarded. We're actively working to finalise arrangements and remain committed to making the scheme operational as soon as possible. 'We're determined that any cycle hire scheme is implemented diligently and in the right way for the specific needs of Edinburgh. 'I'm confident that once a scheme is operational it will greatly benefit our residents and visitors alike.' The scheme will initially run as a two year trial, but the council aims to keep it as a permanent offering after that. Any rollout would start out nearer to the city centre, with expansions outward as time goes on. When final approval for a scheme was given in May, Cllr Jenkinson said he would 'not apologise' for placing council officers under significant time pressure to launch it. Council officers were then confident that the scheme would see bikes on the street by August, meaning they would be available for the festival season. And at the time, Liberal Democrat councillor Kevin Lang said: 'I think it's great the work that officers have done with this, I'm really pleased on how this has moved on. 'I remember the debates about if this was feasible, if this was going to require a significant injection of council money on an ongoing basis. 'I think officers are to be commended for the work that has been done. By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Scotsman
New Edinburgh cycle hire scheme set for 'soft' launch during Festival
Edinburgh's new cycle hire scheme is set for a "soft" launch during the Festival. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The deadline for bids from operators hoping to run the scheme is next Friday, August 1, the day the Festival begins. But the council says the selection of a contractor for the two-year trial scheme can be completed quickly. And the companies which have so far signalled an interest have all said they can start operating the electric bike hire without delay. The last cycle hire scheme ended in September 2021. Photo by Greg Macvean Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It is thought the soft launch, with a limited number of bikes, could take place during the week beginning August 11. Edinburgh's previous cycle hire scheme, which was run by Serco and sponsored by Just Eat, came to an end in September 2021 after thefts and vandalism made it unaffordable. The new scheme will be run by a commercial operator at no cost to the council, using e-bikes only and a dockless system for parking them. It will focus first on the city centre, but with the hope of spreading it across the Capital in due course. The original deadline for bids for the new scheme was July 18, but it was extended to August 1 at the request of one of the potential providers. Bids will then be evaluated the following week and a winner announced, with the potential for the scheme to start the week after. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Transport and environment convener Stephen Jenkinson said: 'Our initial target was to launch the trial cycle hire scheme during the month of August, and I remain confident that we'll deliver this. As ever, we'll work closely with summer festival operators and our other partners to minimise disruption during this busy period. 'However, the tender process is still underway, and a contract has not yet been awarded. We're actively working to finalise arrangements and remain committed to making the scheme operational as soon as possible. 'We're determined that any cycle hire scheme is implemented diligently and in the right way for the specific needs of Edinburgh. I'm confident that once a scheme is operational it will greatly benefit our residents and visitors alike.' Cllr Jenkinson acknowledged the August timescale he set had put council officers under pressure. But he said it would mean there were bikes for hire at the city's busiest time of year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad And he added: 'It benefits not only us as a council, but also the provider who is going to deliver the service because they're never going to get a better opportunity of launching a product than in the middle of the Edinburgh Festival.'
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Edinburgh transport convener bidding to be Labour candidate at next year's Scottish Parliament elections
Edinburgh council's Labour transport convener Stephen Jenkinson is bidding to stand for election to the Scottish Parliament. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... And he will be up against Lothian list MSP Foysol Choudhury in the battle to become the male candidate for either Edinburgh Northern or Edinburgh South Western in next year's Holyrood elections. Under the party's system to achieve gender balance, the two seats have been twinned. Together, the local parties will vote to select one man and one woman - and whoever gets the most votes chooses which seat they stand in. Stephen Jenkinson and Foysol Choudhury will go head to head | collage Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There is a shortlist of two men and two women. Cllr Jenkinson and Mr Choudhury will go head to head for the male nomination. Cllr Jenkinson took over as the Capital's transport convener a year ago, replacing Scott Arthur who won Edinburgh South West for Labour at the general election, helped by Cllr Jenkinson who acted as his election agent. Mr Choudhury was elected as a Lothian Labour MSP at the last Scottish Parliament elections in 2021. And the contest to be the female candidate is between local activist Rebecca Bell and Catriona Munro, who stood in the recent Fountainbridge / Craiglockhart council by-election, coming top in first preferences but narrowly losing to the Lib Dems when votes were redistributed. The selection process is due to be completed in the week beginning August 11.
The National
6 days ago
- Business
- The National
Portobello residents threaten to sue Edinburgh Council over parking plan
A coalition between business and residents has formed over the City of Edinburgh Council's plans for Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), which the local authority describes as an area where parking is restricted on public roads to manage parking demand and improve traffic flow. However, campaigners are threatening legal action if the scheme moves forward in its current form at the Traffic Regulation Order Sub-Committee's meeting this autumn. In a letter to councillors, the group has accused the local authority of advancing a 'procedurally flawed, substantively unsound, and potentially unlawful' plan. READ MORE: Heritage groups join forces to save rundown studio owned by former renowned designer Residents and traders argue that the proposal lacks public support, is built on unreliable data, and would inflict lasting damage on the local economy. They added that in the council's 2021 informal consultation on the plans, a 'clear majority' expressed opposition to CPZ and have accused the council of disregarding public opinion. One of the campaign's organisers, Nikki Middleton, has accused Edinburgh council of not consulting residents in Joppa over the proposed CPZ plans. She said: 'Not only did the vast majority of people consulted reject the proposals, but the Council ran the consultation during the chaos of the Covid-19 pandemic, when travel and parking patterns were completely unrepresentative. How is that a fair reflection of public opinion? 'The council also failed to consult Joppa residents at all, despite extending the CPZ boundary to include this area. 'Drawing lines on a map without considering those communities undermines people's voices and is not a fair representation. These are not just technical errors – they represent a fundamental disregard for transparency and democracy.' (Image: Supplied) The group have also raised concerns regarding the lack of documentation of a public meeting held in May this year at Portobello Town Hall. Campaigners said the meeting was attended by more than 500 residents and business owners, many of whom voiced strong opposition to the plan directly to the council's transport convener, councillor Stephen Jenkinson. However, they claim that no formal minutes were taken and say the decision further 'undermines transparency and public confidence' in the council's democratic engagement with the community. Local resident Jane Grant, who is owner of the Velvet Easel Gallery and chair of the Portobello Traders Association, said: 'The surveys were conducted during major roadworks and the height of the tourist season, when Portobello's popularity as a seaside destination creates unusual, short-term parking pressure. 'Basing permanent changes on data gathered in such distorted conditions is not only methodologically flawed, it's legally questionable.' The community group has also criticised the council for ignoring existing alternatives already in place. Since January 2024, citywide enforcement of pavement parking, double parking, and obstruction at dropped kerbs has been in effect. (Image: Supplied) Double-yellow lines have also been introduced at known pinch points such as Marlborough Street and Regent Street. Campaigners argue these measures already directly address any concerns raised during consultation without resorting to the sweeping restrictions of a CPZ. Local businesses have voiced particularly strong opposition. Karen Mackay, the owner of Cahoots, an independent store supporting local designers and artisan makers, said: 'This scheme is a direct threat to local businesses, it will kill footfall, disrupt deliveries, and drive our customers elsewhere.' 'We've worked hard to bring life back to the High Street with independent shops, cafés, and services, and now the council wants to sabotage that progress. If these businesses start closing down, it's not just livelihoods that are at stake – it's access to essential amenities for local people. 'We've seen the damage these schemes have done in places like Leith. Why is the council determined to repeat the same mistakes here?' The letter concludes with a list of demands, including an immediate halt to the CPZ proposal, a rejection of the consultation and survey data, and a fresh consultation process that includes all affected areas. The group has also called for full disclosure of the financial, legal, and traffic modelling used to justify the plan. A petition opposing the CPZ has already attracted more than 1300 signatures. Traffic regulation order (TRO) sub-committee convener councillor Margaret Graham said: 'We've received a letter from this group and will now take the time to consider its contents. 'The proposed Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) for Portobello is intended to ease parking pressures in the area. The traffic regulation order advertising period ended in late May 2025 and all objections to the proposals will be presented to a future TRO sub-committee. Members will consider all the available evidence before coming to a decision on the scheme.'
