HumanForest launches London’s first free e-bike sharing scheme

HumanForest has launched London’s first free, shared electric bike scheme in Islington with an e-bike trial of 200 bikes, with 1,000 additional e-bikes being rolled out across Central London in the coming months.

Offering 20 free minutes daily (approximately the time it takes to cycle five kilometres across London), HumanForest is facilitating what it calls “a fun, active and sustainable way to move around the city”.

HumanForest is looking to bolster accessible and inclusive mobility, backed by corporate partnerships. By offering free minutes and no unlocking fee, the company hopes to provider a service that all London citizens can be a part of. Those who opt to make their daily journey on a HumanForest e-bike would be “signal[ling] their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint and improving [the] city’s air quality,” according to a statement from the company, which gets its name from the idea of people working together in this way to become a ‘Human Forest’.

The e-bikes themselves are dockless, zero-emission and powered by renewable energy. Once the free 20 daily minutes are used up, the e-bike costs £0.12p per minute, with no unlocking fee. Users can pause their ride, parking the e-bike for up to 23 hours. The e-bikes can reach up to 15mph, are GPS-tracked and are locked and unlocked exclusively via the HumanForest app.

Commenting on the launch, Co-Founder, Caroline Seton, said: “Above all, HumanForest is about giving free and sustainable mobility to everyone. Londoners, making conscious choices, can help create a more ecologically friendly future for our city and it’s our mission to change transport behaviour. Together we can create a greener, healthier future for London.

“The transformation towards a more sustainable society has accelerated in recent months and transport is a very real way for Londoners to make a difference, not just to the environment but to their wellbeing too. Cars are responsible for 60 per cent of all transport-related emissions. Yet two thirds of car trips made by Londoners could be cycled in under 19 minutes. As London embarks on one of the world’s largest car-free initiatives, there’s a huge opportunity to rethink how we move, pushing forward the transformation towards a more sustainable society.”

Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington’s Executive Member for Environment and Transport, added: “Bike-sharing offers an easy, healthy, green way for Islington’s residents, workers and visitors to navigate their way around the borough as they make essential trips.

“HumanForest’s sustainable e-bikes will help to encourage people of all ages and abilities to take up cycling as an alternative to using motor vehicles – boosting their own personal fitness whilst contributing towards a cleaner, more environmentally-friendly borough.

“The Council is working hard to create people-friendly streets, where it is easier and safer to walk and cycle, and where streets are better and more pleasant for all. Welcoming HumanForest’s sustainable e-bikes is another step towards achieving this goal, and we look forward to seeing local people benefit from them.