Stoke-on-Trent residents could get a new way to travel

Stoke-on-Trent could gain a city-wide e-bike hire network after councillors backed plans to recruit an operator capable of supplying up to 1,000 bikes across the six towns.

The cabinet decision, taken on Tuesday 11 August 2026, allows Stoke-on-Trent City Council to begin a competitive procurement process. It does not mean the bikes are available yet: an operator must first be selected to establish, maintain and manage the scheme.

The proposed network would be delivered through a concession and would come at no cost to the council. The authority says the operator would carry the financial and operational responsibility for providing and maintaining the e-bikes.

By GlobeBids News Desk | Published 11 August 2026 | Source: Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Short journeys are the main target

The e-bike hire scheme is intended to offer residents another option for journeys to workplaces, education settings, town centres and public transport hubs. It could be particularly useful for longer cycling trips and routes where the city’s hills make conventional cycling more demanding.

Council figures show that around 70 per cent of car journeys are shorter than five miles, while 25 per cent cover less than one mile. The authority believes shifting a proportion of those journeys to e-bikes could reduce congestion, improve air quality and leave more capacity on the road network.

Any effect will depend on where bikes are placed, how much rides cost and how readily residents can access them. The council’s announcement does not identify proposed docking or parking sites, provide customer prices or set a launch date.

An operator would run and maintain the network

Under the concession model, an experienced external operator would supply the e-bikes and manage their day-to-day operation. The city council would monitor the scheme to assess whether it was safe, effective and properly managed for local communities.

The proposal is for up to 1,000 e-bikes rather than a confirmed initial fleet of that size. The final rollout, locations and operating arrangements are expected to depend on the procurement process and the agreement reached with the successful provider.

Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure, planning and regeneration, said many everyday car journeys were relatively short and that e-bikes could provide a practical alternative for some trips.

“We want to give residents more convenient and affordable choices for travelling around the city,” he said. He added that clear arrangements would be required to ensure the service was safe, well managed and suitable for Stoke-on-Trent’s communities.

Wider investment in Stoke-on-Trent transport

The plan forms part of a broader transport programme covering buses, roads, cycling routes and walking infrastructure. Stoke-on-Trent City Council has secured more than £105 million in government transport funding for the period from 2026 to 2030.

The council pointed to experience elsewhere in the UK as evidence that shared e-bikes can attract substantial use. A Glasgow scheme launched in November recorded 170,000 journeys during its first five months, although the Stoke-on-Trent proposal has not yet reached the operating stage.

Procurement will determine the launch details

The next confirmed step is the competitive process to appoint a provider. Until that work is completed, residents do not yet have confirmed information about fares, hire rules, bike locations, the size of the opening fleet or when rides will begin.

Those practical details will determine how useful the service is across the six towns and whether it offers a realistic alternative for short daily journeys. The council will retain an oversight role once an operator is appointed, with monitoring focused on safety and the effectiveness of the scheme.

Source: Stoke-on-Trent City Council