Serco is finding its way into every part of our lives, a multinational with the right connections and a big wallet:
British services giant Serco has secured a 140 million pound contract to set up a bicycle hire scheme in central London that aims to tackle overcrowding on the capital’s commuter networks.
The contract with local travel authority Transport for London (TfL) to install and operate the London Cycle Hire Scheme will run for six years with a possible two-year extension, the company said on Wednesday.
The scheme will allow users to pick up a bike from one of 400 docking stations in London’s 44 square kilometre (16 sq mile) central travel zone, and dock it at another station instead of having to return it to source.
The initiative, which was announced by Mayor and well known cycling enthusiast Boris Johnson in April, is due to be launched next summer and is expected to generate an additional 40,000 bicycle journeys per day in the city.
“We believe that, through our detailed planning and careful design, we have a leading edge scheme which is capable of being rolled out in other cities which are facing many of the same transport challenges,” said Serco’s Chief Executive Officer Christopher Hyman.