BLACKBURN cyclists can now follow the example of London Mayor Boris Johnson and hire a community pushbike to get around the town.

Replicating the successful cycle schemes of Amsterdam, Paris and London, travellers can rent one of 10 new bikes on offer at Blackburn railway station.

Residents need to register on the ‘bike and go’ website and pay an annual subscription of £10, which allows them to hire bikes from any of the 50 participating stations in the UK.

The green scheme hopes to encourage those entering the town via train to then travel to their destination using the bikes, reducing carbon emissions and promoting exercise.

Launched in Blackburn around six weeks ago, the bikes were praised by those waiting on the platform yesterday.

Sharon Barnard, landlady of the Moorgate Arms in Livesey Branch Road, said: “I think it’s definitely a good idea, although, I don’t know if I could ride one myself.

“They have a bike lock on so you can lock them up when you’ve got to where you’re going and that’s a good thing — otherwise, they’d be getting nicked left, right and centre.”

21-year-old Karya Worden, who has just finished a degree in Events Management, said: “I would definitely think about using something like this.

“I know they have them in London and Barcelona and they seem to work really well there. It’s a good thing for Blackburn to get involved in.”

Morgan Redmayne, a father and joiner from Darwen, said: “It’s probably not for me but I know that my daughters would be up for it.

“They’d be interested in stuff like this and I think it’s a good idea to have it on offer. “It’s like Amsterdam or something.”

After paying the annual fee, cyclists then need to collect a key for a bike from the ticket office, where they will be charged £3.80 to hire it for 24 hours.