Norwich ’should get bike hire’

Bicycles for the public to rent could be dotted around Norwich if Liberal Democrat councillors get their way.

Lib Dems on the city council have suggested a citywide bicycle rental scheme modelled on the projects in Barcelona and Paris.

OYBikes, which already has rental schemes in London, Cheltenham and Reading is to visit Norwich City Hall tomorrow (October 14th).

Judith Lubbock, councillor for Eaton Ward, told the Norwich Evening News that the city should capitalise on rising cycling rates.

"We should be building on these figures and finding new ways to encourage more cycling," she said. "It is a good way to get about in the city, it keeps you fit both physically and mentally and it is cheap."

Boosting the number of journeys made by bicycle instead of car could reduce air pollution in the area.

She added that she would like to see hire points at the Railway Station, the Bus Station, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, University of East Anglia, Norwich College and Park and Ride sites.

The OYBike system sees bikes chained to a special bike stand with a lock operated by a LCD screen and keyboard. Registered users call the OYBike call centre citing the number on the lock display and are sent a pin code to release the bicycle.

Upon returning the bike to an OYBike hire stand, the user is given a pin to send the company indicating their rental period has come to an end.

The city council leader Steven Morphew has said that the problem could be finding funding for the scheme.