Brighton adopts 'Boris Bikes' scheme Published duration 25 November 2015

image caption Bikes would be for hire from 50 hubs along the seafront, in the city centre, and along the A27

A cycle hire scheme for Brighton similar to London's has been given the go-ahead by councillors.

More than 430 bikes will be for hire from 50 hubs along the seafront, in the city centre and along the A27 corridor to the Falmer university campuses.

Councillor Gill Mitchell said the aim was to provide a service to work alongside existing cycle hire firms.

"It's a fantastic idea that's long overdue," said Duncan Blinkhorn, spokesman for Brighton Biketrain.

Biketrain, a volunteer group of cycling enthusiasts , has campaigned for improvements to cycling in the city.

"If each of those 430 bikes gets used several times a day that's well over 1,000 journeys a day without generating more bikes that need to be parked," said Mr Blinkhorn.

"Space is an issue in the city so this really does answer that."

How 'Boris Bikes' work

Bikes can be hired from any docking station using a debit or credit card

Bikes cost £2 per day, with the first 30 minutes of each journey free. Longer journeys cost £2 for each extra 30 minutes

Bikes can be returned to any empty docking point

Brighton and Hove environment and transport committee gave the green light to the council to seek a provider for the bike hire scheme at a meeting on Tuesday.

The council wants the scheme to be up and running by May 2017.