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Fully Charged and Uber Jump have made their services free to all NHS workers, offering a safe, alternative route to work as they continue to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.
From Monday, more than 20 Fully Charged e-bikes are available on a free three-month loan, with many more to come. All 20 of those initial rides come from Gocycle – the first partner in Fully Charged’s new scheme – which is delivering a fleet of its GS e-bikes.
Fully Charged, with sites in London Bridge and Silverstone, will be delivering the bikes to the NHS staff in the capital who sign up to the scheme. Its mechanics will assemble and conduct pre-delivery inspections on all e-bikes prior to them going to their new temporary owners.
Dan Parsons, Fully Charged director of operations, said: “Bicycle stores have been excluded from the Government’s list of mandatory closures amid the COVID-19 crisis. This is a reflection of the importance of cycling as a viable alternative to using public transport, as well as the benefits it offers to people’s health and wellbeing, particularly at a time of self-isolation and social distancing.
“With cycling exhibitions cancelled, many demo bikes are going unused. Fully Charged is grateful to our business partners for enabling us to get these eBikes into the hands of NHS workers for their use during such difficult times.”
All Uber Jumps, meanwhile, were offered to the NHS from Friday. The service currently operates in Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea and Hackney, covering eight large NHS Trusts.
Jump is said to be working closely with councils across London to ensure that all NHS workers in these areas are able to benefit from this offer to help them to travel quickly and safely to work.
“Our brave NHS staff need everyone across the UK to get behind them and provide support however we can,” said Dinika Mahtani, general manager, Jump, London. “Jump bikes will be available for tens of thousands of NHS workers to use for free, helping them get to and from hospitals so they can continue their vital work.”
NHS staff can register at jump.com/nhs with their NHS email to receive their free activation code to use in the Uber app. All NHS staff can receive a maximum of 50 redemptions with a cap of £10 per trip. In their Uber app, they can change the transport mode from ‘Rides’ to ‘Bikes’ at the bottom of the main screen and see the available bikes on the map.
