Tameside takes first step towards bike and scooter hire

Tameside is gearing up to join the region’s growing micromobility network, with plans underway to explore bike and e-scooter hire for the borough.

Councillors and officers from Tameside Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) came together on Friday 26 September at the Tameside Cycle Circuit for the first-ever Tameside Micromobility Summit. The event brought local leaders, transport experts and community partners together to discuss how shared bikes and scooters could work locally, and what steps are needed to make it happen.

The summit was organised by Tameside Council, with support from Active Tameside, TfGM, and Beryl – the company behind Greater Manchester’s Starling Bank Bike Hire scheme. Attendees learned about the benefits of micromobility and had the chance to test out the equipment first-hand on the cycle track.

Micromobility refers to lightweight, often electric vehicles that can be borrowed through self-service schemes. These services are already transforming local travel elsewhere in the region: since the launch of the Starling Bank Bike Hire scheme in 2024, more than 1.23 million rides have been logged across Greater Manchester.

A highlight of the summit was a workshop explaining how the scheme currently operates in Manchester, Trafford and Salford, followed by live demonstrations of hire bikes and e-scooters on the circuit.

With funding opportunities available through the Transport for City Regions Fund and new trials for e-scooters supported by the Department for Transport, Tameside is well placed to extend Greater Manchester’s micromobility network beyond the M60.

Councillor Stephen Homer, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Towns, Transport and Connectivity, said: “Micromobility is about making every day journeys easier, cheaper and greener. This summit was a chance to see what is already working in other boroughs and to start shaping a scheme that works for Tameside. We want to make sure our residents have access to the same sustainable travel options as the rest of Greater Manchester.”

Tameside Council is encouraging residents and businesses to share their views on the plans by emailing planpolicy@tameside.gov.uk.