Halfords to offer free e-bikes to commuters affected by train station closures

Halfords is offering free week-long loans of their e-bikes to commuters affected by the temporary closure of part of the Northern Line.

During the period that the Bank branch is closed between Kennington and Moorgate for 17 weeks, commuters with a valid Oyster card or season ticket can claim a week-long loan of an e-bike from the retailer.

The initiative will run from Halfords branches in Brixton, Balham and Hendon, all of which are close to stations affected by the closure.

Northern line trains will not serve Elephant and Castle, Borough, Bank and London Bridge stations during work to upgrade Bank stations, which lasts until mid-May.

While a replacement bus, the 733, will be operating between Oval and Finsbury Circus on weekdays, this could be the perfect time to start cycling.

The bikes will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, with the loans lasting a week each. It is subject to a trial e-bike being available at the store too. Customers will be asked to pay a £101 deposit, which will be fully refunded on return.

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Research from the retailer shows that journey times from Balham to Bank would be 35 minutes by bike, rather than 20 minutes on the tube. Cycle Superhighway 7 links the area with the City of London.

Paul Tomlinson, cycling director at Halfords said: "Maintenance on the Northern Line will cause huge disruption to commuters who already had to travel on one of the busiest services in the whole country. But there is another way to get around. 

"Ebikes are fun, fast and simple, and much of Central London is now well-served by safe cycling lanes. So why not travel above ground and see what you’ve been missing all these years?”

"The popularity of e-bikes has continued to boom over the past few years," Tomlinson continued. "They offer a great alternative to traditional day to day transport methods - riders of all ages can tackle more challenging journeys, get to places faster and with less exertion, putting the fun back into regular journeys."

If you are looking for a more permanent e-bike to commute on, check out our guide to the best electric bikes for every kind of rider.