A point that I have been making for a few years now is that cities with 24/7 Mobility Services are well placed to respond rapidly with flexible transport resources for civil emergencies.
This is especially the case for cycles, and there are many examples of cycles providing transport for people (often 2 per bike - or more) and supplies, up to 500Kg when the bike is pushed along with handlebar and seatpost extensions. In this way 50,000 Tons of material was shipped from Hanoi to Da Nang despite the US Air Force wiping out roads and bridges on a massive scale, and in Sri Lanka, post tsunami bikes were moving people and produce around before the waters had subsided.
It was thus commendable that Brompton Hire and Nextbike especially have been fast off the mark to make bikes available to NHS and other key workers, through working with the partners on several schemes, and others are steadily catching up.
Brompton has offered NHS phone app memberships, but only where they have established Brompton Hire units and supporting service contractors (eg Manchester). It does make a case for finding, in Scotland, a few A++ commercial developments or car-free high-end housing, which will includes on-site folding bike hire facilities. Manchester's Windmill Green and AXA's site outside Kings Cross Station are current examples, with 3-4 more London sites at office blocks best to main London stations in the pipeline ...once this is all over.
Nextbike have delivered 1000 free memberships for Glasgow which NHS staff use their e-mail to activate on phone app - bikes are sanitised by roving support staff. Likewise in Stirling/Falkirk both the Nextbike and Bewegen Bike fleets have agreed similar deals. Nextbike has a clear statement on how their fleet is being sanitised by the servicing contractors (Bike for Good/Re Cyk A Bike)
If anyone is close to the Sestran-managed Electric bike projects I'd hope to hear if they are making the smaller fleets available appropriately eg W Lothian Bike Library &c
The Just Eat offer seems to be less dynamic/generous, There is no reduced rate, or free membership offer* although the flexibility of the virtual dock means that extra bikes are being placed at NHS sites. (*Any offer would of course have cost issues, and would thus require agreement from Edinburgh Council and/or Transport for Edinburgh, and I'm aware that Hourbike's schemes have been slower to respond than Nextbike/Brompton) Perhaps a few hints to Cllr Miller McInnes and McVey (3M?)
I think there is a further linked detail as well, given that we have many returning to, or discovering cycling as a way to commute, but have a real concern over being stranded by a breakdown, or a part of the ride that terrifies them, through lack of experience, confidence, or a very real hazard. This is the facility to put a bike on a bus, especially outside the city centre, so that a ride back along the unlit, but fast rural roads around Haddington, Gullane, Penicuik, Currie &c late at night has the fall-back of a space on the often near empty bus, & I know that @Arellcat has sampled the X62 offer. It can (at present especially) offer a welcome ride up to Burdiehouse, Fairmilehead &c after a tiring 12+ hour shift & changes of clothes. I'd also like to sound out the idea of an electric shuttle service combining the private buses (which are usually expensive to run compared to using a regular service) between Canonmills & Viewforth with a shuttle that helps cyclists, and the less mobile (eg Wheelchair users) up & down Dundas Street (raised beach) and The Mound/High Street (plug & tail) as a frequent, free to board service.
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