Researchers from the Universities of Central Lancashire and Salford, in partnership with British Cycling, have investigated bike share in the context of Greater Manchester, and asked if bike share works, who it works for, and how it can work better. The project considered the reasons people use such services, the impact it has, and how we can help more people benefit from it.

Bike Share schemes are proliferating in cities across the world. These allow members of the public to borrow a bike to make a specific journey across the city. They started a few years ago, allowing riders to unlock a bike from one ‘docking rack’ and cycle it to another. More recently, ‘dockless’ bike share schemes have spread, which use smartphone apps and GPS to allow users to locate and utilise the nearest bike. While city public authorities have played a role in early bike share schemes around the world, the newer dockless GPS based systems often involve private enterprise. 

Mobike, a dockless bike share company has hit the UK news headlines recently, with its decision to pull out of Manchester. Around the world, dockless bike schemes have caused controversy. Unlike dock-based schemes, the dockless systems do not require planning permission and can escape regulation, often raising allegations about ‘rogue operators’ and ‘street clutter’. At the same time, bike share schemes have the potential to contribute to developing more sustainable and active cities. Furthermore, these new forms of both municipal and corporate sharing may be part of other social changes, for example in how they may reconfigure private, public and common forms of property. Dockless Bike-Share schemes in Manchester and other cities have been the subject of considerable media attention and debate.