Dumfries council’s Bike2Go scheme break extended

According to BBC Scotland, the country’s first government-backed public bike hire scheme, conducted by Dumfries council, has been put on hold after it failed to win popular support.

The £155,000 Bike2Go scheme was launched in 2010 to help boost cycling in the town but was withdrawn last October with the intention to relaunch the project this spring. However, the council has claimed that more funding is needed before the project can resume.

Bike2Go was based on similar models to those currently operating in London, Paris, Barcelona and Stockholm, and provided bicycles free of charge to subscribers at 11 locations across the town.

However, data compiled after the scheme was paused showed that the town’s 42 bikes had only been hired 2,270 times, in the space of three years.

Commenting on the extended absence of the bicycles, a spokeswoman for Dumfries council said: "The bikes are currently being stored following refurbishment. Bike2Go was a Scottish government-funded scheme with a time-limited budget from the government.

"The council is aiming to submit a funding bid to support a voluntary sector partner to provide future support for the bikes, as well as local employment.

"We are also seeking discussions with ScotRail on the anticipated timescale for implementation of their cycle hire scheme.”