E-bikes replace citybike scheme in Liverpool

Liverpool City Council says it is working hard with Voi to provide greener transport

An e-bike hire scheme has been launched in Liverpool to replace its citybike initiative.

Voi, which already provides e-scooters in the city, has introduced a fleet of 50 e-bikes on to the streets.

The Swedish firm has plans for a further 100 e-bikes depending on its success.

Councillor Dan Barrington said the e-bikes would enable the city to make "big strides" to becoming a carbon-free city by 2030.

The citybike project, launched in 2014, had become unsustainable due to annual losses of around £300,000 each year and vandalism and theft, Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Liverpool is the first city to receive Voi's new model of e-bike called Explorer 2, available to hire for anyone over 16.

They can be activated through the same app as Voi's e-scooters, which are under contract with Liverpool City Council until May 2024.

Matthew Pencharz, from Voi, said the e-bikes would help people change their travel habits "to reduce unnecessary pollution and congestion".

Mr Barrington, Liverpool City Council's cabinet member for climate change and environment, said giving people many active travel options would "make big strides in improving [their] physical and mental health as well as our air quality and in delivering our commitment to being a carbon-free city by 2030".

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]