From train to garden: community-run cycle sharing at one of Europe’s largest gardens

At a glance

Where: Walkden station to RHS Garden Bridgewater, Salford
When: Live since 6 July 2026, currently running to 31 October 2026
Set-up: 25 smart docks and 15 refurbished bikes, with a cargo bike and an adaptive cycle joining the fleet

Backed by: Active Travel England’s Innovation Fund, one of 12 projects selected nationally
Delivered with: RHS Garden Bridgewater (host), Manchester Bikes (local operator) and CoMoUK (independent evaluation), promoted by Salford City Council and TfGM

The challenge

More than 90% of visitors arrive at RHS Bridgewater by car, though Walkden station is only 2.5 miles away.

Gardens, parks and heritage sites across the UK share the same last-mile gap, and few are large or dense enough for a national bike-share operator.

Results

First eight weeks, to 30 August

99% of sessions completed cleanly One error in 102 sessions, in week one only
7 of 8 weeks entirely error-free
0 dock compromises
0 bikes lost

Covered by Salford City Council, Manchester Wire, Marketing Manchester and the TfGM active travel newsletter.

What we did

Provided the smart-dock platform, while Manchester Bikes, an independent local bike shop, runs the scheme day to day.
Built the fleet entirely from refurbished bikes.
Designed one visitor journey, from train to garden and back, with QR codes and signage at every touchpoint.
Made it free to use, and paired it with RHS’s discount on garden entry for car-free visitors.

Shared bikes docked in a row outside Walkden station, under the railway bridge.

In their words

“This is a fantastic initiative which will make it even easier for people to visit RHS Garden Bridgewater without relying on a car.”

Councillor Mike McCuskerDeputy City Mayor, Salford City Council

“Making it easier for visitors to reach the garden by train and bike supports our wider environmental ambitions, while using refurbished bikes reflects our commitment to making the best use of existing resources.”

Chris TrolleySustainability Advisor, RHS Garden Bridgewater

What we learned

The technology is ready; demand at a destination has to be designed. Ridership follows what is happening at the garden: the five busiest days carried 40% of all trips, and led rides and events are the strongest driver.

Wet days reduce riding, but warm days do not increase it. The best time to offer the bike is when visitors plan their trip, not when they arrive at the station, so the next step is to build it into visit planning and ticketing.

What’s next

Full-season results, independently evaluated by CoMoUK, follow the season’s close. We are shaping options for a permanent scheme with RHS, and the model is designed to be repeated at other attractions near a station.

Trials with