Dockless bike hire helps kill Oxford’s dock-based scheme

Oxford’s dock-based bike hire scheme has closed down with operator Hourbike attributing the decision partly to the growth of dockless schemes in the city.

The Oxonbike scheme was originally launched in 2013 in the east of the city, covering places such as Thornhill park-and-ride site, the John Radcliffe hospital, and Oxford Brookes University campus. Funding for the scheme came from the DfT’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund. 

The original operator Grandscheme went into liquidation early in 2014. The scheme was revived that summer by Hourbike. Electric bikes were added in 2016.

In an email to users this month, Hourbike said: “As a cyclist I am sure you will have noticed the growth this year in dockless bikes in Oxford across the city. We are pleased to see the growth in shared bikes but unfortunately this has had an impact on usage levels of Oxonbike.

“Together with other factors and in consultation with our partners we have come to the difficult decision to close the Oxonbike service with immediate effect.”

Dockless bike hire firms Mobike, Pony and Ofo all operate in the city. They have recently been joined by local firm Bainton Bikes.