STOURBRIDGE'S Boris Bikes have been proving popular - with hundreds of cycle rides being made each week, data has revealed.

The new West Midlands Cycle Hire Scheme was rolled out in Stourbridge and Kingswinford in April and since going live between 100 and 320 rides have been made each week, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) has confirmed, with people enjoying average ride times of around 30 minutes.

Distinctive grey and green bikes, dubbed Boris Bikes as Boris Johnson was Mayor of London when the Santander Cycle Hire scheme offering rentable bicycles was launched in the capital, have been made available across Stourbridge - with docking stations by the bus station and The Bonded Warehouse.

The cycles have also been introduced out towards Wordsley and Kingswinford too and in Birmingham city centre.

The bikes can be hired using the Beryl Cycle Hire app and people can enjoy an initial 30-minute ride for free by downloading the app and registering their details.

Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley Council's cabinet member for public realm, said: "We’re really pleased the bikes have been well received so far and we expect them to grow in popularity in coming weeks, particularly as the weather improves.

"They are a great green way to travel to explore the local area and stay active.

"We believe a majority of the hires so far have been for recreational use but as more people return to the workplace as restrictions ease, we anticipate more people choosing to use them as an alternative greener mode of transport for commuting."

The bikes, which have three gears and laser safety lights, have been introduced to encourage people to enjoy cycling as a convenient alternative to the car or public transport for short journeys.

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, who even brought Prime Minister Boris Johnson himself to Stourbridge for a ride on the bikes ahead of the Mayoral election, said: "I had great fun taking a Stourbridge cycle hire bike for a pleasant ride alongside the canal recently – and would strongly urge others to give it a go.

"Our Cycle Hire scheme has proven very popular across the West Midlands with more than 150,000 kilometres clocked up by riders in the first three months. It’s great for the environment, healthy, and a convenient alternative to the car for shorter journeys – all whilst being cheap and easy.

"It has been so successful that more bikes and docks are on the way, and we are talking with our partners, including Dudley Council, about new dock locations in Stourbridge."

Transport for West Midlands, which is delivering the scheme as part of a five-year contract with Serco - operator of London’s Santander Cycle Hire scheme, confirmed plans to grow the offering in the Stourbridge area and a spokesperson for TfWM added: “We believe cycle hire usage will grow as the summer continues and more people discover it is an excellent and sustainable way to explore the local canal network or make a short commute to the railway station or town centre."

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

There are currently nine docking stations lining a corridor between Stourbridge town centre and Kingswinford...but cllr Shakespeare hopes to see the bikes introduced in or near Mary Stevens Park and possibly within the train station grounds.

The bike docking stations are located at:

Brook Road/Church Road, Oldswinford

Heath Lane, Oldswinford Cross

Stourbridge Town Interchange - Vauxhall Road

Talbot Street, Stourbridge town centre

Crown Lane, Stourbridge town centre

High Street, Amblecote, near to The Bonded Warehouse

Wollaston Road, Amblecote

Wordsley Green

Market Street, Kingswinford

More details about the scheme can be found online at WMCycleHire.co.uk and on social media @wmcyclehire #wmcyclehire