US and UK bike share operators join forces in London

Bike share operators Forest and Bird have announced a significant integration which is – they said – the first ever collaboration between two leading micromobility operators in Europe.

Forest, sustainability-focused London shared eBike company and Bird, a global leader in micromobility and North America’s largest operator, will together streamline access to affordable and sustainable urban mobility for thousands more people who currently use the Bird app, said the press statement.

Tapping into the tourism market

Bird’s extensive footprint, generating millions of rides annually and a strong North American customer base, will be particularly beneficial Bird riders visiting London by easing access to Forest eBIkes. Each year, the UK capital welcomes more than three million visitors from the USA and around one million from Canada.

As of today, all active Bird app users traveling to London can open the Bird app and rent Forest e-Bikes across the city using their in-app payment method.

Forest is one of Europe’s largest bike share operators with over 15,000 bikes in London which are available to hire from 13 Boroughs. The Company completes 1.2 million rides each month.

Agustin Guilisasti, CEO & Co-Founder of Forest, said: “We are delighted to announce our strategic partnership with Bird, opening access for its five million users to Forest bike share services. This collaboration represents a powerful step toward unifying the fragmented micro-mobility market, demonstrating the potential of innovation to drive sustainable change. By making it easier for visitors to London to experience the city like locals, we aim to boost the share of daily trips made by bike and magnify the transformative benefits of shared travel for communities and the environment.”

Michael Washinushi, Co-CEO of Bird, said: “This partnership with Forest aligns perfectly with our mission to make sustainable and affordable mobility accessible to everyone. By integrating Forest’s e-bike service into the Bird app and evolving into a platform, we’re supporting cleaner, greener cities and offering our global customer base of over 5 million active riders a seamless way to explore the best of London. We also plan to expand with other trusted providers worldwide in the near future, further enhancing mobility options for our riders, wherever they travel to. We’re thrilled to join forces with Forest to provide an innovative solution that benefits both residents and the millions of visitors who come to explore this incredible city each year.”