Happier staff, Financial Savings made by staff, who would otherwise have to pay for public transport, demonstrable promotion of cycling to local community
There will be savings in expense claims and savings for the users themselves.
The intention was to set up a shared pool bike scheme across 2 locations within NHS City and Hackney and NHS Tower Hamlets.
The Administrative Headquarters at each site would provide the location for the pool bikes. There are already pool bikes within NHS City and Hackney, but not a shared scheme such as this. The current pool bikes tend to get used by clinical staff, and the new shared bikes will be promoted to all, but especially administrative staff, who frequently travel between the designated sites for meetings. It is hoped that the scheme will help to bring about a cultural shift and it is very positive that it has support from a high level (board). The bikes are not intended for commuting or use in lunch breaks, but for work related travel only.
The scheme will have 4 bikes initially, 2 based at each site. It was originally hoped that the scheme would be launched and fully operational before the Mayor’s TfL scheme, on which it is modelled, but due to hold ups obtaining the bicycles, the launch has been delayed a few months.
The scheme includes 4 bikes in this initial phase, 5 sets of lights and 5 combination locks (so that there is always a spare). The bikes are able to be kept in existing secure bike sheds at each location. Having an innovative Shared Bike Scheme means that the bikes do NOT have to be returned to the pick up location. This means that users can travel in one direction i.e. to attend a meeting at the end of the day, leave the bike at that location, and travel home as usual.
Combination locks were chosen so that the user can be emailed the combination code when they log into the on-line booking system to reserve a bike, rather than having to physically pick up a key.
Update Summer 2011:
High level of interest in the scheme BUT the merger of the commissioning parts of the two organisations as part of the NHS reforms has taken the scheme away from its original direction. In order that the pool bikes are made good use of, they have been used as standard pool bikes from each site and will continue this way until the changes are complete at which point a Hackney/ Tower Hamlets point to point scheme will be re-instated. The focus of the scheme remains on commissioning staff and on the displacement of taxi and public transport journeys.
NHS City and Hackney and NHS Tower Hamlets
To create momentum for green travel across the organisation
Thames Gateway Travel Plan Network – procured cost price bicycles for us from Raleigh
If the Shared Pool Bike Scheme is successful, we hope to expand with more bikes and by extending the scheme to other NHS locations – for example NHS Newham and the Homerton Acute Trust. The predominant direction of ‘single’ journeys taken by the bikes and the resulting location of bikes will be monitored closely, for example to record whether the bikes are more often left at one site than the other which may help to inform any such expansion.
NHS City and Hackney’s St Leonard’s site due to begin redevelopment in late summer of 2010. Where the administrative staff will be based is a shorter distance to NHS Tower Hamlets site (AB House). It is hoped that is people get used to cycling this short distance – approx 2 miles, they will be happy to cycle slightly further when the redeveloped building is reopened.
The redeveloped site will have no car parking spaces for general staff use, with only accessible bays being provided.
Update Summer 2011: Overall I can say that the bikes have contributed to an ever greater appetite for cycling within the NHS in Hackney. The subsequent application for pool bikes at Hackney Ark is now also implemented and they are already in constant use.