HourBike Ltd is set to launch the largest city cycle hire scheme in the country, second only to London.
It is estimated that Liverpool will have 100 bikes at 10 city centre stations by April, with a further target of 500 bikes at 50 stations by July.
Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: “Liverpool’s cycle hire scheme has the potential to bring huge benefits to the city providing a convenient and environmentally-friendly way of getting around for hundreds of people-from local residents and commuters, to students and tourists.”
HourBike first started its Cycle Hire Service in 2007 and now has its bikes installed in Dumfries, Lincoln, Nottingham, Reading and Southport.
The service has further consulted with Moscow’s cycle hire scheme after its recent success.
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Councillor Tim Moore, said: “This is a really exciting project for our city, and I’m delighted that we have been able to secure an operator with such a strong pedigree to deliver it.”
He added that he will be looking forward to its official launch and that the ultimate aim is that wherever members of the public are in the city centre, people will be no more than a three-minute walk from a cycle station.
The scheme aims to bring both expertise and experience to Liverpool, with an advanced user-friendly service, which will encourage people around the city to start cycling more.
The Liverpool City Cycle Scheme comes from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, which provided £2.8m to the city, with £1.5m spent on delivering the cycle hire project.