TfL to offer free 30 minute cycle hires every Sunday in June

TfL Cycle Sundays is a new programme of leisurely cycle routes that aims to support and encourage Londoners who are new to cycling to explore the capital by cycle on Sundays.

It aims to offer beginner friendly journeys and support for Londoners, to make it more accessible to try out cycling for the first time.

The offer comes as Santander e-bikes recently celebrated one million hires. It can be claimed by downloading the Santander Cycles app or heading to a docking station terminal, choosing a Day Pass, and using the code CYCLESUNDAYS.

Santander e-bikes will be available to app users for an additional £1 per half-hour journey. 

Hires longer than 30 minutes incur an extra £1.65 for each additional 30 minutes for pedal bikes, and £3.30 for e-bikes.

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The Cycle Sundays routes have been selected by TfL and a range of partners including British Cycling, Cycle Sisters, JoyRiders, London Cycling Campaign, Sustrans and Wheels for Wellbeing.

They include park rides in Greenwich and Battersea, an accessible cycle tour of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, a loop through parks in Haringey and many more spanning the capital. 

The routes give cyclists of all abilities a choice of leisure routes up to 10 miles long on quiet roads and paths. A full list of routes can be found on the TfL Cycle Sundays website.

TfL has also partnered with Strava for another easy way to access and track leisure routes across London.

The Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman said: “The boom we’ve seen in cycling in the capital over recent years has been fantastic, and we are determined to make cycling as accessible and affordable as possible, to encourage even more Londoners to give it a go. This is why I am delighted that Santander Cycles will be offering unlimited free rides every Sunday in June, as part of Cycle Sundays. 

“As the weather gets warmer, this is the perfect time to give cycling a try, for free, taking advantage of our growing network of cycleways, low traffic routes and off-road routes. This is just one of the ways the Mayor and TfL are working to build a better, fairer and greener London for everyone.”

David Eddington, Head of Cycle Hire at TfL, said: “TfL Cycle Sundays offers a range of leisure routes across London which are perfect for beginners looking to get into cycling. 

“Cycling is not only brilliant for your mental and physical health, but also a great way to explore and see more of London. We hope that enabling all Londoners to use Santander Cycles for free every Sunday will get more people out cycling, as well as giving them a chance to try out our brilliant bikes.”

There are now over 360 km of cycle routes across London and TfL says it plans to complete cycleways between Lea Bridge and Dalston, between Deptford and Deptford Creek and Hammersmith and Kensington Olympia.