Santander releases brand new payment app for cycle hire network

Lending giant Santander have this week released the Santander Cycles app, allowing users to rent bikes provided by Transport for London’s (TFL) cycle hire network.

The Santander Cycles application, which is now available to use for Android and iOS, gives regular users of the service much more accessibility and choice. Bike riders can now view the nearest docking station and bike availability.

Customers can also receive a ‘bike release’ code straight from their smartphone, effectively bypassing the docking station terminal. Users of the app can now buy 24 hour and annual subscription.

‘‘We’re absolutely committed to growing and developing Santander Cycles together with TfL by making more bikes available, providing more docking stations and offering extra benefits in future to give Londoners and visitors to the Capital the best possible experience,’’ commented Nathan Bostock, CEO, Santander UK.

This announcement from TFL and Santander follows the bank’s sponsorship takeover of the so called ‘Boris bikes’ in February. Santander replaces former sponsors Barclays.

‘‘The new Santander Cycles App will make finding and hiring a bike in our great capital city even more of a doddle,’’ said Boris Johnson, Mayor of London.

Santander Cycles is the second-largest cycle hire scheme in Europe. Introduced in 2010, 40 million journeys have been made using the bikes and usage of the scheme rose by a quarter last year and is at a record high.

More than 10 million journeys were made with the bikes in 2014. Customer satisfaction is also at an all-time high, with over 80 per cent of members intending to renew their membership.

‘‘The App is packed full of handy new features and is part and parcel of our plans to take the cycle hire scheme to the next level and encourage more people on to two wheels,’’ continued Johnson.

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