Three hundred new e-bikes added to Starling Bank Bike scheme in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester’s Starling Bank Bike hire scheme has expanded its fleet with the arrival of 300 new electric bikes, making half of the city-region’s hire bikes now electric.
The latest additions are part of a broader push to boost sustainable transport across the region, as Greater Manchester targets one million more sustainable journeys every day by 2040.
The new e-bikes, which started appearing on streets this month, feature a lighter frame with the battery integrated into the main body, automatic gearing, a rear-wheel locking system, and a larger front basket for added convenience. With their user-friendly design and extra power, electric bikes are proving more popular than pedal bikes, typically being ridden twice as often and for longer distances.
The scheme, launched in 2024, has already recorded over 1.23 million rides. In April alone, an average of 1,698 rides were made each day. The final week of April saw record usage, with 15,492 rides taken — averaging 2,213 per day — and a single-day high of 2,609 rides.
Dame Sarah Storey, Greater Manchester’s Active Travel Commissioner, welcomed the arrival of the new bikes. “Not only are the bikes lighter, but they have features that make them easier to ride, such as automatic gearing and the rear wheel locking system,” she said. “The bigger front basket is also very useful and they will be a popular addition to the scheme.”
The Starling Bank Bike scheme is being closely watched as a model for future integrated urban transport. Work is already underway to explore how the scheme could be fully integrated into the region’s Bee Network — Greater Manchester’s joined-up public transport system — including its fare structure and app.
Bikes are available to hire via the Starling Bank Bike app, with flexible pricing options. Under the ‘pay as you ride’ model, e-bikes cost £1 to unlock and 10p per minute, while pedal bikes cost 50p to unlock and 5p per minute. For regular users, minute bundles offer rides at 5p per minute for both types of bike, with no unlock fee for pedal bikes and a £1 unlock fee for e-bikes.
Michele Rousseau, Chief Marketing Officer at Starling Bank, said: “We’ve supported more than a million rides since launching Starling Bank Bikes in 2024, and with half of our fleet now electric, we’re taking another step forward in promoting sustainable travel across Greater Manchester.”
The expansion comes amid growing demand for low-emission, active travel options in UK cities. As Greater Manchester continues to invest in clean and connected transport solutions, the Starling Bank Bike scheme is becoming a vital part of the region’s journey towards a greener, more accessible future.
