Fancy trialling a new way to work? Up for a short cycle with a park and ride and beating all the traffic out of Liverpool? Or need to get to the Liverpool Women’s or Aintree University Hospital quickly?
Folding bikes are the ultimate in flexibility, so we're pleased to be able to offer staff a chance to try a Brompton folding bike for free, for up to 30 days, at a maximum of five days at a time. They're accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You can use the Brompton for any journey you like: try a new commute idea, getting from the Royal Liverpool University Hospital to another site or meeting; leisure, personal and weekend use all encouraged! However, the bike must be returned to the same dock at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
You need to use the work email which has been whitelisted for the free rides. To check if your email stem has been whitelist scroll to the bottom of this page.
Staff will receive 30 free day hire credits. These credits can be used for commuting, business travel or personal/leisure trips.
To hire a Brompton, follow the steps below:
1. Download the app
Install the Brompton Bike Hire on your phone: go to Get the App - Brompton Bike Hire
2. Register now: Create a Brompton Hire account.
- You need ID to sign up, and the ID check only works with strong Wi-fi/mobile signal
- You must use your NHS email address when registering. Only eligible domains will be accepted.
- You’ll need a payment card (debit or credit) and a form of ID to complete registration.
3. Apply your promo code (to activate free credits)
- Open Settings (cog icon, top right of the app)
- Select Promo Code
- Enter: RLUH2026
4. Reserve your bike: From the home screen
- Select Hire a bike. (Bikes can be hired for up to 5 days)
- Choose Liverpool: Royal Liverpool University Hospital
- Select Hire today or Hire tomorrow
- A bay (1–4) will be automatically assigned for your reservation
5. Pick up your bike: Go to the Brompton bike dock located at Royal Liverpool Hospital atrium. What3words location: https://
At the dock:
- On the display screen, enter your bay number (1–4)
- Open the app and select Scan the QR code
- Scan the QR code shown on the display screen
- The bay door will open - take your bike
- Please close the bay door afterwards, alarm will go off after 3 mins
- Important: Follow the fold/unfold instructions. Unfold - How to Unfold, Fold - How to Fold
Please note:
There is a 15mins cancellation period if you need to return the bike to the dock.
6. Ready to ride:
With three easy-to-use hub gears, mudguards, and built-in dynamo lights on the front and back. The one-size-fits-all design with an adjustable seat post is suited to most adults.
7. Return:
Return the bike to the same dock at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital using the Brompton Bike Hire app. You can continue hiring bikes using your remaining credits. After your 30 free credits are used, normal hire charges will apply: £5 per day.
If you are having issues with the Brompton app, please contact them on 020 4538 3225 Mon-Fri 8am – 6pm or on the support section of the app. UHLG will not be able to help with app-specific issues.
Any other issues, please email Sustainability
The Brompton bike dock is in the atrium of Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
What3words location: https://
What does 30 days/instances mean?
It means x30 instances of a maximum of 24 hours per instance, with a maximum of five days in a block.
If you hire it for only a few hours, this counts as one of the 30 instances. So, it could be up to 30 hires of a few hours, or you could take it for five days in a row, and this would count as five instances. You could also hire in any other combination of a few hours to a few days, up to 30 times.
The maximum length of time in a block is five days (120 hours). This has been chosen to allow you to trial a folding bike for the commute for a standard work week, but stop people block booking the bikes for a whole month, as they tend to not get used when people do this.
Please don't hog the bike if you're not using it! We think this will be very popular, and we only have four bikes at the moment. We trust you to return the bike if you are not using it, and enable your colleagues to try it.
Will I need ID?
Yes, you need to be verified to use the app. The complete of ID which is acceptable is at the bottom of this page.
Will I still need to put my payment details in?
Yes, during registration Brompton will take £0.01p to check your card works. If you should hire a bike after the free 30 sessions this card will be used to charge the standard £5 per day (24hr) hire fee. They will also use these details to charge you should you not return the bike, or fail to comply with their Terms and Conditions. This agreement is between Brompton and the individual user. The T&Cs can be read here.
What happens when I have used up the 30 days/instances?
You will transfer to the standard public rate which is £5 for 24 hours. You are under no obligation to keep using it after your free trial days.
I can see there is a bike in the dock but the app is saying non are available?
It might be reserved and someone will collect, or it might be faulty and waiting to be fixed.
Can I book the bike in advance?
You will see in the app that you can ‘hire today’ or ‘hire tomorrow’. If you click hire today, the bike will be booked from that point until 23.59pm that night. If you click ‘hire tomorrow’ the bike will be booked until 23.59 the following day. This means no one else will be able to use it in that time.
This is Brompton's system, not UHLG’s. We suggest booking it close the point you that you know you want to use it to ensure that the bikes can be used by many people and are not taken up with ‘maybe’ bookings.
When does the hire time start and end?
The hire period starts when you collect the bike. It ends when you return the bike. You can keep it for a maximum of 120 hours (5 x24 hours) from collection. You cannot ‘tell’ the app how long you plan to have the bike, you just have it till you return it.
Using the bike
Is a lock provided?
No, a lock is not provided. Brompton bikes are designed to fold up small, and they are valuable. They should go where you go, and should never be locked up and left out in public.
You need to keep it somewhere you reasonably believe is safe for it to be insured. Behind a locked door is generally acceptable for Brompton's insurance. Brompton give a guide as: ‘somewhere you would be willing to leave your bag unattended’ - please use your common sense and err on the side of caution. You are welcome to add a lock, when leaving it in a safe location, for extra peace of mind.
How do I collect and unfold the bike?
Go to the ground floor of the Royal, inside the atrium near WHS Smiths. Look for the dock, and follow the instructions above. A successful booking on the app will allow the door to open and you can access the bike. There are un/folding instructions on the side of the dock and there is a video in the Brompton app.
Where can I drop the bike when I get to my destination?
You must return it to this dock. This is the only dock like this in the country, and you cannot drop it somewhere else. You can keep it with you for a meeting or leave it at home/other safe location, but it must come back to the Royal Liverpool Hospital dock to end the hire period.
Are helmets and lights provided?
A small number of helmets may be available at the dock, but availability isn’t guaranteed. We recommend bringing your own helmet, though it’s not a legal requirement to wear one in the UK. The bikes have integrated lights that are powered automatically as you pedal, and mudguards are fitted as standard. Panniers are not provided, so you’ll need to bring a backpack or another way to carry your belongings.
I don't know the routes in Liverpool and the safer ways in, what can I do?
If you have a colleague who cycles they may be able to help and offer advice. The best first experience is to buddy and ride with someone who knows the route. Join the staff (BUG) Bicycle User Group and ask a colleague. To join email: Sustainability
What is the bike like?
- Folded size: 59 × 56 × 27 cm (about a small-med wheeled suitcase)
- Weight: 12.6 kg
- Suitable for riders 140–203 cm (4'7"–6'8")
- Upright/neutral riding position, with gears
- Not electric
- Brompton Bikes are commonly considered to be very high spec, light, well-designed and user friendly compared to other folding bikes.
Can I bring a folding bike on a bus?
Stagecoach: folding bikes allowed if they fit in the luggage area and you can lift them.
Arriva: folding bikes allowed if they fit in the luggage area and you can lift them.
Merseyrail: Trains accept bikes folded or unfolded.
Other train services: All train services accept a Brompton on board folded as a luggage item.
Security and faults
If stolen while hired: you’re responsible under Brompton’s T&Cs, though they review cases reasonably. To discuss concerns, email sustainability
Faults: return the bike to the dock and report via the app. If another bike is available, the dock will release it automatically.
Contact Brompton via their phone line (6am–9pm) or in‑app chat (8am–6pm).
Other questions
I have found this very helpful but I can't afford a folding bike.
Have you checked out the Cycle to Work scheme, where the Trust will buy you a new bike and you pay it back in instalments from your salary with a big discount? A Brompton bike is £39/ month using cycle to work, and you own it at the end. If you are on a lower band and cannot access the Cycle to Work scheme, please email sustainability@liverpoolft.nhs.uk and we may be able to help.
Why are there only four bikes in the dock, we need many more!
This is the first trial within the NHS, and if it is successful; - if it is well used at UHLG and we receive good feedback – it could be expanded.
If you are part of a team or department with specific needs for flexible, local transport and your team are using the bikes a lot, please email sustainability@liverpoolft.nhs.uk as we would like to know this. If you know a space in the Royal or UHLG sites where another dock would fit, and you are keen to see more, please also email. Knowing the demand is very helpful!
We have whitelisted these email stems so if your work emails end with this, then you are eligible to take part
- nhs.net
- liverpoolft.nhs.uk
- lwh.nhs.uk
- lhlch.nhs.uk
If you work for UHLG or CCC and do not see you email stem here, please email: sustainability@liverpoolft.nhs.uk and we have Brompton whitelist your email.
In the meantime, you can still borrow a bike for £5/day.
I have a question not answered here!
Please email sustainability@liverpoolft.nhs.uk
We'd also appreciate supportive comments and useful feedback for Brompton and NHS England who have helped bring the trial about.