Big changes are rolling out for the Aberdeen ebike hire scheme, including new payment options and parking zones.
The Big Issue ebike rental initiative was introduced back in November, and since then the red and white bikes have been taking travellers on “micro-mobility” journeys all across the Granite City.
In the first three months of the scheme, Big Issue has been looking carefully at how people are using the bikes.
They have looked at factors like where they are most commonly used in the city, how long people they are riding for, and how much money people are spending on hires.
In response, Big Issue is bringing in a number of new features for the scheme which they hope will get even more people on their bike.
New parking zones for the Aberdeen ebike hire scheme announced
When it was first introduced to Aberdeen, Big Issue put in place around 40 pick up and drop off parking zones.
Unlike other bike hire projects in Scotland, the Aberdeen one has no physical infrastructure like bike racks, and instead uses satellite technology and a phone app to make virtual zones for collecting or leaving its ebikes instead.
Following feedback from the public, Big Issue has now created many new virtual parking spots, including all along North Deeside Road to the west of the city centre.
You can now take one of the Aberdeen ebikes out to parking zones in Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber — all located a short cycle away from the Deeside Way path, which is popular for walkers and cyclists alike.
If you’ve got a suggestion for new zones for the scheme, you can email info@bigissue.bike
New payment model will make it cheaper for some journeys
In its analysis of how people have been using the Aberdeen ebike hire scheme, Big Issue found that the majority of users rent one of the bikes for 15 minutes or less at a time.
In a survey, it also found that most respondents said they’d like a pricing system that’s a set fee for a set amount of rental minutes, because it would be “more predictable and easier to understand”.
In response, the operator will soon be bringing out a new payment option, which will offer riders seven minutes of rental time for £1.
This will work out cheaper in some cases than the previous pay-as-you-go model, which charges cyclists £0.60 to unlock a bike, then a free minute, and then £0.20 a minute thereafter.
Under the old system, a 10-minute journey would typically cost you £2.40, and a seven-minute journey would put you back £1.80.
But both payment options will continue to be offered “for the time being”, according to Big Issue, as it believes some people prefer the pay-as-you-go method.
The scheme’s app will also soon be updated with a “wallet” feature, which the operator hopes will make it “easier for you to understand how much money you are putting in, and using, while riding Big Issue eBike”.
Users will be able to top up their wallet in the app, and see how much money they have in it at a glance.