People in Falmouth are being urged to get on their bikes this summer after the installation of an electric bike hire point. in the centre of the town.
A mix of Falmouth, Penryn and Cornwall councillors were on The Moor yesterday to celebrate the installation by the elctric bike company Co Bike.
Deputy mayor Kirstie Edwards said: “A huge well done to all involved in this project and lovely to have a mix of Penryn, Falmouth and Cornwall councillors there to celebrate their installation.
“I got to have a quick go and they are amazing- I am invisible disabled with a rare kind of rheumatoid arthritis that causes inflammation of my joints and organs, so I would not be able to use a regular bike. Looking forward to giving one a proper go later this week.”
Deputy Mayor Kirstie Edwards has a go
Co Bikes has partnered with Cornwall Council and Falmouth Town Council, the e-bikes trial will start during week commencing June 7 and continue throughout the summer.
Co Bikes e-bikes will initially be available to rent from The Moor in Falmouth, with additional locations to be announced in the coming weeks.
A successful trial could help pave the way to the creation of a full Co Bikes network that would cover both Falmouth and Penryn, helping both residents and visitors alike to move around both towns more sustainably. Co Bikes is currently running a short survey asking for feedback on how such a scheme could operate.
The docking station on the Moor
Cllr Philip Desmonde, Transport Portfolio Holder at Cornwall Council, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming Co Bikes to Falmouth. The trial will help us understand how residents and visitors will use the bikes, giving us valuable information that will help us plan for a wider e-bike network.”
Sinead Hanks, Penryn Town Councillor and member of the Falmouth and Penryn Cycling Campaign, added: “Feedback so far on the survey has been incredibly positive, with 95% of respondents saying they’d like to see an e-bike network in place. Because the bikes are electric, they are ideal for tackling our two towns many hills, making them a great way for everyone to travel more sustainably. We’re really excited to welcome Co Bikes to Penryn if the trial in Falmouth is successful.”
To use Co Bikes new customers download the nextbike app and register for an account. To activate the account, customers make a £10 payment which is then used for their first Co Bikes trips, providing over three hours of cycling. Thereafter, it can cost as little as £2 an hour to hire a Co Bike if customers buy a discounted BikeRider minutes bundle.
Some people have balked at the cost
Co Bikes sister company, Co Cars, already offers a car club scheme in Falmouth, with a shared hire car available from The Dell car park.
Mark Hodgson, managing director of Co Cars and Co Bikes, said: “We’re excited to develop our offering in Cornwall, with the Co Bikes pilot scheme complementing the Co Cars we already have in Falmouth and Truro.
“Use of our Exeter Co Bikes network grew by over 400 per cent across 2020 and, due to their popularity, this year alone we’re expanding that scheme to over 200 bikes.
“We’d love to see that success replicated in Falmouth and Penryn. I would urge anyone interested in the scheme to take a few minutes to complete the survey.”
Co Bikes is part of a shared mobility scheme operating in the South West, helping reduce congestion and pollution to make towns and cities better places to live, work and thrive. For more information, visit www.co-cars.co.uk and www.co-bikes.co.uk. The survey is available from https://bit.ly/CCFalPen.
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