Londoners could have cycled 353 times around the world on their 'Boris bikes', says new research from business intelligence consultancy firm Project Brokers

July 2011

The first six months of the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme saw Londoners cycle the equivalent of 353 journeys around the world's circumference (8.8 million total miles cycled), according to research from business intelligence consultancy Project Brokers. 'Boris bike #3960' alone has covered nearly the full Tour de France total of 2,200 miles, having amassed a distance of 2054 miles.

The research, released this week to coincide with the first year anniversary of the Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme (Saturday 30th of July), was developed using the QlikView Business Discovery platform. The Boris Bikes app was created by Project Brokers consultant Dominic Mander using data from Transport for London (TfL) to determine public usage patterns between August 2010 and May 2011.

The innovative research also reveals where the most and least popular docking stations are, to help frustrated commuters pick the right docking station to maximize their chances of getting a bike.

The average speed of a 'Boris bike' journey is 8.7mph and the most popular journey for Londoners to take on one of the bikes is the Concert Hall approach from the more recently added Waterloo Station docks. The fewest journeys are made from Marylebone flyover, so if in desperate need, it could be wise to head over to Marylebone, say Project Brokers.

Daren Cox, Chief Executive Officer at Project Brokers says:

"The 'Boris bikes' scheme has been a real success story for London and we're pleased to be able to confirm just how popular the scheme has been. Using QlikView, we are able to slice and dice data in innovative new ways to reveal new levels of analysis and insight, helping customers to run their businesses better. We've applied the same approach here, helping Londoners to understand how the scheme is working and perhaps most importantly, where they're most likely to get a bike!"