Cllr Daryl Brown, Deputy Mayor of H&F (far right) and Cllr Iain Cassidy, H&F Cycling Champion (second from right) joined Dott CEO and founder Henri Moissinac (second from left) on the Safer Cycle Pathway in King Street, Hammersmith
Hammersmith & Fulham is the first in the country to launch its new electric bike rental scheme with micro-mobility company Dott.
Now, H&F residents and visitors can hire the new dockless cycles on a pay-as-you-bike basis. The rollout follows less than a year after the popular launch of our e-scooter rental trial scheme with Dott, Lime and TIER.
To celebrate the arrival of the 250 new e-bikes, residents were invited to take them for a free spin in King Street on Wednesday (23 March).
"Our new partnership with Dott helps make cycling a more attractive, accessible and safer travel option," Cllr Wesley Harcourt said, H&F Cabinet Member for the Environment.
"It's the perfect addition to our growing network of electric vehicle charging points and e-scooters. And it's both good for the environment and for your health."
Many resident took the opportunity to join fellow e-cyclers in King Street's newly upgraded Safer Cycle Pathway.
Where can I find them?
We've allocated 30 designated parking bays across H&F where riders can begin and end their journeys. You can find the locations through the Dott app. They include:
- Fulham Palace, SW6 (outside the tennis grounds on Bishop's Avenue)
- Fulham Palace Road, SW6 (corner Finlay Street)
- Parsons Green, SW6
- Hammersmith Flyover, W6 (outside Eventim Apollo)
- Hammersmith Gyratory, W6 (junction Hammersmith Road and Butterwick)
- King Street, W6 (outside Livat shopping centre)
- Brook Green, W6
- West Kensington, W14 (junction Hammersmith Road and Blythe Road)
- Goldhawk Road, W12 (corner Hammersmith Grove)
- Shepherds Bush Market, W12 (outside Bush Theatre)
- Uxbridge Road, W12 (outside Shepherds Bush tube station)
- Wood Lane, W12 (outside Shepherds Bush Library and White City tube station).
Easily recognised by the distinctive blue frame and red wheels, Dotts can be unlocked by scanning the QR code on a bike or scooter.
A fully charged bike can go up to 60 km from its starting point, depending on traffic and weather conditions. Riders pay £1 activation charge, then 17p per minute, with special passes are at reduced costs available for regular riders.
Special discounts, free trips and training sessions are available through H&F's Sobus to local charities, start-ups and social enterprises to support the voluntary and community sectors.
Safety first
Unlike their e-scooters, Dott e-bikes don't require users to hold a valid driving license. However, riders need to be 16 years or over.
Before you start your e-journey, you should always check:
- are the lights working?
- do the brakes work?
- are the tyres full?
- is the seat the right height for you? (all bikes have 26-inch wheels, but you can raise or lower your seat by pulling the side clamp open or pressing and holding the yellow lever under the seat)
- are there any wires hanging loose?
- is there any visible damage to the bike?
- how much range does the bike have left?
During your journey, please:
- stick to one person per e-bike
- stay focused
- follow local traffic rules
- never ride or park on sidewalks
- park according to the rules
- don't drink and ride
- wear reflective gear, especially at night
- remember to wear a helmet.
Active travel and climate emergency
Our partnership with Dott complements the actions we're taking to encourage cycling uptake around the borough, including the council's recently launched bike rental scheme Try Before You Bike.
Our many cycling initiatives form part of a wider strategy to make active travel the go-to form of transport the people who visit, work and live in H&F.
This will help us reduce the number of polluting journeys within the borough to improve local air quality, reach our target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 and become the greenest borough in Britain.
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