A SCHEME to bring Boris Bikes to the region has now gone live in Stourbridge.

People can now try out the new rentable grey and green pedal cycles now that bike stands have been installed in and around Stourbridge town centre.

The West Midlands Cycle Hire Scheme aims to give people the chance to enjoy cycling by providing a convenient alternative to the car or public transport for shorter journeys.

Bikes, located at keys sites including Stourbridge Bus Station, near The Bonded Warehouse and in the town centre, have three gears and are fitted with high quality laser safety lights and they can be hired using the Beryl Cycle Hire app.

Balvinder Heran, deputy chief executive at Dudley Council, said: "We are very pleased to see the bike scheme in place in Stourbridge and about how the scheme could expand over time.

"By cycling and walking more often we can all play our part in reducing congestion and local levels of pollution as well as helping to keep ourselves fit and active."

Later this year, the bikes will also be available via the new Swift App - the first app for the West Midlands to offer ticket purchases, the Swift Collector, departure information, journey planning, car hire and more, all in one place.

It costs £1 to unlock a bike and 5p per minute after that - so a 20-minute cycle will cost £2 and an hour will be £4.

People can, however, enjoy an initial 30-minute bike ride for free by downloading the app and registering their details.

The cycle hire scheme, which is already running in other areas of the region including Wolverhampton and Coventry, has been delivered by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

When fully rolled-out later this year, there will be 170 fixed docking stations and 1,500 bikes for hire across the region - of which 150 will be powered e-bikes.

The five-year contract with Serco, operator of London’s successful Santander Cycle Hire scheme, offers the opportunity for more docks and bikes to be provided as demand increases.

For more details check out WMCycleHire.co.uk