The Mancunian Way: Airbnbs ‘scourge of the city’

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Here's the Mancunian Way for today:

Well this is embarrassing isn’t it? For the second time in just a few years, transport bosses are having to take action with Greater Manchester’s cycle hire scheme due to vandalism.

They’re scaling back the Bee Bike scheme as around 800 of the 1,000 bicycles which had been on the network are currently damaged or missing.

Just 160 Bee Bikes were available to hire two weeks ago. It’s hoped this will rise to 500 by the end of August. In the meantime, more than 1,000 bike stands across the city-region will temporarily close.

Transport for Greater Manchester say the reduction will increase availability of bikes in areas where demand is highest, such as the city centre. And they are introducing new locking rules and heavier fines when bikes are not returned properly, as Joseph Timan reports.

So why is it so hard to run a cycle scheme here? Let’s not forget that bosses of the Mobike scheme famously pulled out of the region in 2018 after just 15 months following high levels of theft and vandalism. No doubt it was moments like this that convinced the Chinese company Mobike simply wouldn't work here.

Nevertheless, local leaders ploughed on with a new hire scheme which has been widely welcomed. Andy Burnham insists the latest problems are NOT a case of ‘use it or lose it’ but rather ‘just look after it, everybody’. “The more we all look after it the more it will all be there for everyone,” he said.

Let’s hope the vandals get the message this time. They’ve certainly been trying their level best