Southampton Gets 'Boris Bikes'

A folding cycle hire scheme has launched at Southampton Central Station (11th April 2013).

The Brompton Dock in Southampton has made forty folding bicycles available to local residents and visitors.

Members of the scheme register online at www.bromptondock.co.uk and pay an annual membership fee. They can then hire a bike by text message or reserve a bike or empty bay online up to twenty four hours in advance.

They are stored in a facility like a large vending machine.

The folding nature of the bikes means that they can be taken into the home or office and on public transport, even at peak times. Members can keep the bikes for as long as they like, from hours to weeks at a time.

Brompton Dock has two tariffs, Frequent and Leisure; Frequent Members pay a £45 annual membership fee and then £2.50 per day to hire a bike. Leisure Members pay a £10 annual membership fee and then £5.00 per day to hire a bike.

Managing Director of Brompton Dock, Mark Antwis said:

“We are very pleased to be announcing the launch of our dock in Southampton.

“Working in partnership with the My Journey initiative, as well as South West Trains should really help boost membership at this dock.

"It is a pleasure launching docks in towns that are really working hard to improve sustainable transport by encouraging people onto bikes.”

It's part of My Journey, an initiative run by Southampton City Council to help residents get about more easily and sustainably. It provides resources such as information on bus times, cycle and walking routes and travel plans.

Councillor Asa Thorpe, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport said:

“What a great idea this is. This fantastic new facility will not only help Southampton residents commute faster, cheaper, healthier and more sustainably on some of their shorter journeys, but also it makes our city more accessible and appealing to visitors”.

Jake Kelly, Customer Service Director for South West Trains – Network Rail Alliance said:

“Brompton bikes have already proved to be a success on our network. We were the first in the country to embrace the concept at Guildford station.

Passengers using Southampton station can look forward to a new and innovative way to get in the saddle and leave their cars at home."

Brompton Dock manages the world’s first and only cycle hire scheme that uses a fully-automated docking station especially designed for Brompton folding bikes. It enables the hire of up to forty folded Bromptons, stored in a single car parking space.