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Issue - meetings

Meeting: 13/10/2017 - WMCA Board (Item 84)

84 West Midlands Common Approach to Cycling: Bikeshare pdf icon PDF 143 KB

Presented By: Councillor Roger Lawrence

Decision:

(1)       The adoption of a single bikeshare scheme across the WMCA constituent area be approved.

 

(2)       Transport for West Midlands be the lead organisation for a West Midlands Bikeshare scheme.

 

(3)       Any sponsorship for a bikeshare scheme be sourced by the supplier as long as the sponsor qualified as appropriate under WMCA policy.

 

(4)       A single bikeshare scheme that was zero cost to the WMCA be approved and the ability for the WMCA and the supplier to profit share, if the scheme made a profit, be approved.

 

(5)       The integration of the West Midlands Bikeshare scheme with Swift be approved.

 

(6)       The route to procurement recommended by the WMCA Procurement Team be approved.

 

(7)       It be agreed that the WMCA or associated local authorities would not enter into any agreement with a dockless bikeshare supplier.

Minutes:

Councillor Roger Lawrence presented a report advising on the work being undertaken to develop a single approach to cycle hire across the West Midlands.

 

A West Midlands Bikeshare Feasibility Study was commissioned in June tasked with creating recommendations for the operation and demand for a cycle hire scheme in the region. The study recommended that a singular West Midlands approach was taken to deliver a bikeshare scheme, being easier to manage, benefiting from economies of scale and recognising that a significant number of journeys were cross border. The study also concluded that a high quality docked system was more suitable due to operating the scheme in urban centres. Dockless bikeshare systems were still in very early development stages and had implications for streetscape, cycle crime and cluttering.

 

Councillor Roger Lawrence indicated that the bikeshare scheme was likely to start rolling out across the region in April/May 2018. Councillor Ian Ward welcomed this proposal and its opportunity to reduce inactivity. He stressed the importance of ensuring that the cost of hiring the bicycles was not set at a level that would be a barrier to participation for lower income groups. Councillor Peter Butlin looked forward to a successful scheme being rolled out into Non-Constituent authority areas.

 

Resolved:

 

(1)       The adoption of a single bikeshare scheme across the West Midlands Combined Authority constituent area be approved.

 

(2)       Transport for West Midlands be the lead organisation for a West Midlands Bikeshare scheme.

 

(3)       Any sponsorship for a bikeshare scheme be sourced by the supplier as long as the sponsor qualified as appropriate under West Midlands Combined Authority policy.

 

(4)       A single bikeshare scheme that was zero cost to the West Midlands Combined Authority be approved and the ability for it and the supplier to profit share, if the scheme made a profit, be approved.

 

(5)       The integration of the West Midlands Bikeshare scheme with Swift be approved.

 

(6)       The route to procurement recommended by the West Midlands Combined Authority Procurement Team be approved.

 

(7)       It be agreed that the West Midlands Combined Authority or associated local authorities would not enter into any agreement with a dockless bikeshare supplier.