Successful bike-sharing scheme expands to 10 more villages

Ten villages in Region Midtjylland have been selected to receive funding for local electric bike and electric cargo bike-sharing schemes, DR reports.

The villages will take part in the third phase of the Delecyklen project. Each can receive up to 50,000 kroner to establish a scheme.

The project will examine whether shared bikes can make it easier for people in rural areas to travel to and from buses, trains and light rail services.

“When we invest in mobility, we also invest in vibrant local communities,” Per Møller Jensen, chairman of the Regional Development Committee, said in a press release.

Ten villages selected

The selected villages are:

Boes in Skanderborg Municipality, Ejsing in Holstebro Municipality, Gl. Harlev in Aarhus Municipality, Hover in Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality, Lemming in Silkeborg Municipality, Pindstrup in Syddjurs Municipality, Sdr. Felding and Timring in Herning Municipality, Tastum in Viborg Municipality, and Vestbirk in Horsens Municipality.

Villages will run schemes themselves

The villages will develop and operate the local schemes themselves. They will decide which types of bikes to provide, where to place them, how users can book them, and how the bikes will be operated and maintained.

According to Region Midtjylland, the shared bikes could help people in villages where buses do not run throughout the day or where public transport is not nearby.

“Whether people can get to work or take part in leisure activities should not depend on whether they live somewhere with a bus connection,” Vivi Altenburg, deputy chairwoman of the Regional Development Committee, said in the press release.

The region will monitor the schemes for about 12 months. When the project period ends, the villages will keep the bikes and can continue operating the schemes locally.

Fifty-nine villages took part in the first two phases of the project in 2024 and 2025. Region Midtjylland says almost 2,000 people used the bikes, which were ridden for around 135,000 kilometres. All 59 villages chose to continue their bike-sharing schemes after the trial period.