Transport for London announces major upgrades to public bike scheme
Transport for London (TfL) has awarded an extended contract to Serco to operate and significantly upgrade Santander Cycles, the capital’s flagship public bicycle-hire scheme.
Under the new agreement, Serco will continue as the operating provider of Santander Cycles until 2031, with an opportunity to extend the partnership for a further five years. TfL says the extended contract supports ambitious plans to modernise the scheme and ensure it remains a convenient, reliable transport option as cycling levels continue to grow.
Planned upgrades will include a new mobile app and a QR Code bike release system to make hiring a bike simpler and more intuitive for riders. TfL will also introduce in-dock charging for e-bikes across docking terminals throughout the capital to ensure electric bicycles are consistently charged and ready to ride.
In addition, Santander Cycles terminals will be modernised to improve accessibility and ease of use, supporting a more user-friendly experience for both Londoners and visitors.
Record usage and rising demand
According to TfL, Santander Cycles has experienced one of its most successful years to date. There are currently 2,000 e-bikes in the scheme’s fleet, which TfL says has led to a significant increase in longer hires. In October 2025, the scheme recorded more than 728,000 member hires, and since its launch in 2015, Santander Cycles has surpassed 109 million hires, including 3.1 million e-bike hires.
Daily hire figures have also been strong: between November 2024 and October 2025, more than 9 million hires took place – a four percent increase on the same period the previous year, according to TfL.
Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said the upgrades reflect the continuing expansion of cycling in the capital. “London’s boom in cycling shows no sign of slowing down, so it’s great to see further investment in improvements to the Santander Cycles scheme including the in-dock charging for e-bikes and a new, easier-to-use app,” he said. “Following a record number of Santander Cycles member hires in October 2025 and soaring numbers of bike trips across the capital, the Mayor and I will keep investing in sustainable and accessible transport options as we continue to create a greener, fairer, better London for everyone.”
Anthony Kirby, Serco Group Chief Executive, described the contract extension as recognition of the company’s long-term role in the scheme and reaffirmed Serco’s commitment to working with TfL to continue improving service for thousands of riders every day. “We are delighted to have been awarded this new contract that will see significant service improvements for TfL and the thousands of Londoners and visitors who use the bikes every day,” he said.