Cyclists can now grab Transport for London (TfL) hire bikes from seven new docking stations across Bermondsey and Walworth.
Santander Cycle stations have been installed at Albany Road, South Bermondsey station, Brandon Street, Clements Road, Harris Academy, Crimscott Street and The Blue.
David Eddington, TfL’s Head of Cycle Hire, said: “Through the expansion of the scheme, we hope to encourage even more Londoners to take up cycling, improving their wellbeing and London’s air quality, and tackling congestion.
New TfL hire bikes to come to Southwark this year – not 2023
“I’d like to thank Southwark Council for their support with the expansion and we’ll continue to work with the borough to improve access to cycling.”
TfL had originally planned to install a station on Camberwell Road but scrapped it because it couldn’t find an “appropriate location”.
It’s already been a busy year for the capital’s hire bikes, which saw a surge in usage in 2022.
This year, journeys were eleven per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels, with eleven million hires already made in 2022.
From August 2021 to 2022, every month saw record-breaking hires compared to corresponding months in previous years.
With its major thoroughfares and high rates of cycling – one in ten people are cyclists here – Southwark is a cycling Mecca.
The borough’s transport chief Cllr Catherine Rose said Santander Cycles are already “well-used” by local residents, improving their physical and mental health.
In October, Santander and TfL launched the scheme’s first e-bikes, which have already seen over 100,000 hires.
Young cyclists are forced to travel through killer junctions, warn campaigners
Despite other cycling schemes, like the ongoing construction of Cycleway 4, connecting Greenwich with Central London, campaigners say Southwark cyclists need better protection.
Earlier this month, Southwark Cyclists released a map of dangerous junctions which included the Elephant and Caste Roundabout, Camberwell Green and where Peckham High Street meets Rye Lane.
In the last ten years, 3,144 cyclists have been injured on Southwark’s streets – the fourth most of any London borough.
Southwark Cyclists are advocating for more protected cycle tracks, bus stop bypasses and protected junctions to protect cyclists.