E-Bike Hire Scheme for Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is seeking a delivery partner to design, implement, and operate a commercial e-bike hire scheme across the city. The scheme will introduce a fleet of approximately 800-1,000 electrically assisted bicycles to provide residents and visitors with a convenient, accessible, and sustainable alternative to private car use for short-distance journeys. E-bikes address local barriers to cycling adoption including challenging topography and varying fitness levels, while supporting the Council's objectives for decarbonisation, improved air quality, and public health. The delivery partner will be responsible for fleet management, maintenance, parking infrastructure with geo-fencing controls, and data sharing to monitor usage and scheme performance. The Council seeks a commercially viable model requiring minimal ongoing subsidy, with potential for future scalability. Key objectives include improving local connectivity between residential areas, town centres, transport hubs, employment sites and visitor destinations; encouraging modal shift away from private car use; ensuring high-quality service delivery; and enabling data-driven evaluation of outcomes.