PRESTWICH could soon become part of the popular Mobike scheme, it has been revealed.

Lib Dem councillors have urged the council to sign up to the mobile bike sharing scheme proving a huge hit in Manchester.

The councillors claim the bikes could help reduce congestion in the borough and hope people would take advantage of them for short journeys.

Three Liberal Democrat councillors have asked the council and Transport for Greater Manchester to talk to Mobike about rolling out the scheme in Prestwich and the rest of Bury.

Liberal Democrat leader, Cllr Tim Pickstone, said: "We are all concerned about congestion and it's really bad in some if not all parts of Bury. These borrow bikes are a really affordable entry way into cycling, it's just 50p for half an hour.

"There's quite a lot of advantages. While not everyone may be up to commute to Manchester, nipping across the town is something that might be really beneficial to people."

Cllr Pickstone hoped encouraging people to cycle short journeys would also improve health in the borough.

Labour's Cllr Andrea Simpson, cabinet member for health and well being said: "It's definitely something we will support. Any activity that gets you moving is going to have a health benefit."

She added that the council wanted to improve cycling across the borough, citing cyclists using pavements, congestion and drivers opening car doors without looking as problems, which needed addressing.

She said new cycle routes put in, like those around Heaton Park, would help such issues.

The bike borrowing scheme launched in Manchester and Salford in June this year and differs from London's 'Boris-bikes' because the bicycles do not need to be docked.

The bikes are unlocked via a smartphone app and a half hour journey costs 50p, there is a refundable deposit paid when the app is first signed up for, this is £29.

Cllr Pickstone admitted people were unlikely to use the bikes to commute to Manchester, which is where he said most of the traffic problems arose, but hoped they would take advantage of them for shorter journeys.

He said: "It's difficult to say what impact they would have, a lot of the traffic is long distance traffic to and from Manchester but there are local journeys that are quite short and if we can encourage a few of those people out of their cars and onto bikes that would be beneficial."

Mobikes have been in the news since their launch and a number of stories have been shared of people's confusion about the new system and bikes being 'stolen' by people who have left them in their gardens.

Cllr Pickstone felt any teething problems would soon get sorted out. He said: "With all things we have to get used to it and it seems to be working really well in Manchester and Salford."

He added: "Where we are now is Bury Council and Transport for Greater Manchester have agreed they will talk to Mobike about this.

"I don't know how long that will take but it's the first step in the right direction. It's something that can happen."

Steve Pyer, UK general manager at Mobike was open to expansion to Bury, he said: "We are in constant dialogue with TfGM and the Greater Manchester districts about expanding the Mobike scheme to new areas and although we haven’t been in touch with Bury Council yet, we are of course open to discussing an expansion there.

"It’s important to note that prior to any new expansion of the scheme or the launch of it in new parts of the cities, we would first discuss it with local authorities, sign a Memorandum of Understanding and factor in a certain time period to plan the parameters of the scheme before making the bikes available to the public."

Mobikes are not just used in Manchester, they are present in 180 cities worldwide and has 150 million registered users. They have also rolled out in Ealing, London this month.