Big Issue Ebikes pulled from Aberdeen streets due to lack of cash

Three Big Issue Ebike staff are at risk of losing their jobs if a new operator is not found.

By Lauren Taylor

March 19 2024, 5:01 pm

Rows and rows of ebikes were spotted in a "graveyard" outside an Altens unit on Monday. Image: Lauren Taylor / DC Thomson

Aberdeen’s ebike rental scheme has been pulled because of a lack of cash, The Big Issue boss has revealed.

The eye-catching Big Issue Ebikes were abruptly removed from the streets with the app telling disappointed users they were being “upgraded”.

But on Friday, Aberdeen City Council confirmed Sharebike’s intentions to pull out of the contract.

The situation means the jobs of three “marginalised people” the charity brought into work are now in jeopardy.

While locals were quick to blame vandalism for the rental scheme’s collapse Paul Cheal, The Big Issue chief executive, has now confirmed it’s due to a lack of “ongoing funding”.

More than 100 ebikes are stacked up outside a unit in Altens after they were pulled from Aberdeen streets. Image: Lauren Taylor / DC Thomson

The charity boss said ShareBike decided the scheme was not financially viable because of this.

It’s unclear where the operators had hoped to secure this funding from.

However, Aberdeen City Council stressed in its public contract notice when seeking an operator that it would not pay for it.

Now, Mr Cheal said the operator is “working hard” to find someone else to take over the Aberdeen rental scheme and keep it running.

Many ebikes were found without handlebars, seats, wheels or with loose chains. Image: Lauren Taylor / DC Thomson

The Press & Journal visited the scheme’s hub in Altens yesterday and found rows and rows of the red and white ebikes stacked up outside.

Many of them were damaged and one reader likened it to a “graveyard”.

More than 10,000 active users but initiative still not ‘financially viable’

The Big Issue started working with Sharebike to bring marginalised people into work, giving them an opportunity to help run an environmentally friendly bike scheme.

It was first launched in Bristol, but after the launch was scuppered by vandalism the ebikes were moved to Aberdeen.

The scheme was launched in the Granite City in November 2022, and although initially uptake was slow, it attracted thousands of users since.

Big Issue e-bikes have been on the Aberdeen roads since late 2022. Image: Chris Sumner/DC Thomson — A man riding one of the ebikes on Union Street. Image: Chris Sumner/DC Thomson

Last November, the project coordinator said around 10,000 people were actively using the ebikes and they had finally become “part of the city”.

The initiative had 360 ebikes in the city and 66 GPS-ringfenced parking spots around Aberdeen.

Despite this, Sharebike still doesn’t believe the scheme is “financially viable”.

The Big Issue ebikes at one of the parking spots. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson.

Mr Cheal explained: “While this also saw some vandalism, unfortunately attracting ongoing funding has proved problematic and Sharebike has decided that the scheme is not financially viable.

“Sharebike is working hard to make the ebikes available to another provider in the hope of an Aberdeen scheme continuing.”

Did you rent the Big Issue Ebikes? Let us know in the comments section below

What about refunds for Aberdeen ebike users?

Aberdeen City Council is still working with Big Issue Sharebike to find a new private company to take over the contract.

But in the meantime, the council spokeswoman advised anyone with a balance remaining on their app to contact Sharebike directly.

However, the website homepage is still currently down.

Some ebikes are still being found on Aberdeen streets. Image: Kieran Beattie/DC Thomson

However, the app will not let users unlock the ebikes. Image: Kieran Beattie/DC Thomson

The P&J has made several attempts to contact the Norwegian-based company. So far, emails have either bounced back or been left unanswered and phone calls go straight to voicemail.