Brompton Dock Ltd, sister company of Brompton Bicycle, has announced a partnership with Virgin Trains to introduce Manchester’s first fully-automated ‘smart’ cycle hire scheme at Manchester Piccadilly station.

From Tuesday 3rd April 2012, residents, commuters and visitors to Manchester will be able to hire a British hand-made folding Brompton bike from a Brompton Dock located just outside Piccadilly station. With no restrictions on public transport and train operators allowing them on their network during peak hours, the Brompton bike is set to become a mainstay on the streets in and around Manchester.

Brompton Dock has been created with the purpose of integrating cycling into people’s daily lives across Manchester. The dock will house up to 40 Brompton bikes, with every step of the customer journey designed to make bike hiring fast, flexible, convenient and secure.

To become a member, users simply register by visiting www.bromptondock.co.uk and then choose a suitable tariff. Once registered, members will then be sent a personal four-digit pin number. To take out a Brompton bike, all members need to do is send a text, including the dock number and their personal pin, following which they will receive a text with a bay number and an access code to take their bike out. Members can then keep the bike for as long as they want, whether it’s for one hour, one week or even a year.

Norman Baker, Local Transport Minister, said: “I use a folding bike to get around London, especially when I need to get across to the House of Parliament quickly, so I know first-hand the benefits they bring. This innovation really showcases what can be achieved when transport providers come together to establish onward journey solutions for travellers. Courtesy of this initiative, commuters and visitors to Manchester can now benefit from all the health benefits associated with cycling, with a product founded on the very best of British manufacturing and design expertise.”

Mark Antwis, Managing Director of Brompton Dock Ltd, comments: “With the launch of the new Manchester Piccadilly Brompton Dock, commuters and visitors in Manchester can now take advantage of an innovative system which offers an end to end journey solution. Brompton Dock provides easy access to the legendary Brompton bike which is fully transportable, meaning that you can take it with you wherever you go, even during busy times like rush hour.”

Sam Dixon, Head of Stations for Virgin Trains, said: “This scheme is a great idea and an exciting new initiative that will provide travellers with a new and exciting means by which to travel around Manchester. We’re fully committed to any system that offers our customers greater flexibility for their onward journeys and look forward to welcoming them and their Brompton Bikes onto our network.”