£100 Lothians GO e-bikes hire deposit blamed on ‘mindless thugs’ and vandals

By Marie Sharp

Published 6th Aug 2021, 04:55 BST

‘Mindless thugs’ have been blamed for a decision to introduce a £100 deposit to a publicly funded e-bike hire scheme.

Let us know what you think and join the conversation at the bottom of this article.

Operators of the pilot GO e-bikes project introduced the hefty deposit at the weekend – four months after the scheme’s launch in East Lothian and Midlothian.

The scheme, which allows people to hire an e-bike from hubs in Musselburgh, Dalkeith and Eskbank for as little as £2 for 30 minutes, was hailed as the latest move to encourage “everyday functional trips” without cars.

The hire e-bikes have become targets for vandals

The hire e-bikes have become targets for vandals

However incidents involving the expensive bikes being damaged or dumped saw operators introduce the deposit “to help make sure the bikes are not misused”.

Not long after the hub at Musselburgh railway station was launched there were reports of an e-bike and dock being vandalised and a number of e-bikes have been reportedly found abandoned across the countryside – with reports of four being recovered from Port Seton harbour in one afternoon.

Concerns have been raised that the three-figure payment which users are told will be returned to their bank “in a few days” after they’ve returned the bike, will make them inaccessible to those on low income.

READ MORE: 'Shameful' theft of 10 Just Eat bikes and vandalism forces closure of Portobello hire point

Midlothian Council leader Derek Milligan has said he hopes the £100 deposit will be temporary, with operators promising to review it’s success.

But Midlothian Councillor Colin Cassidy, who saw a hub established in his Dalkeith ward, said: “The refundable deposit, in my view, should act as a deterrent to the mindless thugs who keep vandalising and abusing these machines.

“The company tried to treat this project in a civilised and open manner, unfortunately there are those in our community who have not yet evolved to the level of civility required to meet this trust.”

Introduced by South East of Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStran) in April hubs in Mussselburgh, Dalkeith and at Edinburgh College, Eskbank, were launched offering people the chance to hire the e-bikes from as little as £2 or a 30 minute journey and a monthly pass of £10.

READ MORE: Unbelievable video shows youths smashing up Just Eat bikes near Leith Walk

SEStran said the scheme was awarded £208,000 funding as part of the Low Carbon Travel and Transport Challenge Fund established by Transport Scotland.