Sustainable transport providers Beryl have released new survey data that shows the impact that the Starling Bank Bikes have had on wider transport habits across Greater Manchester.
The bikes and e-bikes, available to hire in Manchester, Salford and Trafford, have helped to re-engage lapsed cyclists and break down the barriers to active travel, with 44% of riders having returned to cycling after a break (1-4 years, 20% and 5 years +, 24%). This positive impact is being felt long term, with 60% of bike hire riders cycling more often (35%) or much more often (25%) since using the scheme – 6% higher than the average across all Beryl schemes.
Starling Bank Bikes are also getting people to swap four wheels for two, with 34% of riders using private cars less often (29%) or stopping completely (5%) since using the bikes. Similarly, 16% would have driven a private car and 28% would have used a taxi or a ride share instead of taking a bike hire journey. This reinforces bike share’s ability to convert private vehicle trips into sustainable journeys.
Commuting is by far the most popular bike hire journey type, with 37% of riders citing it as their primary purpose.
The scheme is designed to integrate with the city-region’s public transport network as part of the Bee Network, making it easier to part-commute and combine modes in Greater Manchester.
Beryl CEO and co-founder, Phil Ellis, said: “It’s great that the report can demonstrate an encouraging long-term shift towards more sustainable transport habits, as we know the positive impact this can have on congestion levels, air quality and public health.
“Not only are we encouraging people out of high emission private vehicles, we are also getting lapsed cyclists back in the saddle and getting people riding more often, which is all great news.
“Our focus has always been and will continue to be on working with our partners to ensure the Starling Bank Bikes remain as integrated, convenient and easy to use as possible. We achieve that by listening to feedback and using it to drive improvement and progress. I promise you that we will continue to adopt this approach for a successful 2025 and beyond.”
Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “Providing a range of options for people to have access to bikes is one of the key priorities for active travel in Greater Manchester and it’s great to see the contribution of the Starling Bank Bike Hire scheme to this.
“The positive findings from Beryl’s annual report are good to read and go to show the importance of shared bike schemes in helping people to access cycling in a convenient and cost-effective way.
“These findings highlight the importance of continuing to invest in the infrastructure that enables people to make their short journeys by bike and provide a strong basis for supporting an expansion to the scheme.”
Ellie Cross, Senior Marketing Manager at Starling Bank, said: “We’re proud to provide the people of Manchester with a greener and easier way to travel. We’ve loved watching the scheme grow in the city that we, and so many of our customers, call home.”
Convenience is king for Starling Bank Bike users, with 60% citing it as a reason for signing up. This makes it the most popular reason by a considerable distance (second most popular – speed/quicker, 48%) and mirrors the average response across all schemes.
Only 6% cited cost as a barrier to riding Starling Bank Bikes more frequently, which is significantly lower than the 41% average across all schemes. This shows that the region’s pricing structure and variety of payment options are competitive and contribute towards shared sustainable transport’s appeal for short journeys.
There is a significant openness to using other modes in Greater Manchester, with 56% open to using e-cargo bikes and 51% open to using e-scooters. This interest hints toward the untapped potential of electric vehicles and is reflective of wider trends across all Beryl schemes.
The data comes from Beryl’s Rider Report 2024, an annual survey of over 13,000 people across 16 scheme areas used to identify behaviours, motivations, impacts and barriers to using shared transport schemes. Of those respondents, 883 were from Greater Manchester.
Launched in November 2021, the Starling Bank Bike scheme is managed and funded by Transport for Greater Manchester, on behalf of Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and operated on a day-to-day basis by Beryl.
The scheme currently serves a wide range of employment, retail, education and leisure hubs such as the universities, the city centre and Media City and has had a significant impact on reducing traffic congestion, improving public health and cleaning up regional air.
The bikes have generated nearly 1.1 million journeys and 320,000 hours of physical activity across nearly 2.8 million km. According to industry calculations, the scheme has also saved nearly 83 tonnes of harmful carbon emissions.
