A fleet of Embark-branded e-bikes will be available for public hire across the city from next month.

The new fleet of around 400 rentable e-bikes will form the largest scheme of docked electrically-powered bicycles in Scotland. The scheme, which will be called Embark Dundee powered by Ride On, is developed and run by Ride On, an international urban mobility company, in partnership with Dundee City Council.

This sponsorship is part of Embark’s commitment to Dundee, following its purchase in 2019 of the advised and partnership client books of Alliance Trust Savings (ATS) and the former ATS building at 8 West Marketgait, in Dundee. This is now the Embark Platform and Group Operations headquarters, with Embark employing over 120 people in Dundee.

The e-bike scheme will provide the local community, including Embark employees, with an affordable and healthy means of transport, particularly valuable as people begin to return to workplaces following the COVID-19 crisis.

Peter Docherty, chief executive, Embark Platform, commented: “The number of people cycling has soared during the pandemic and we’re proud to be involved in an environmentally friendly scheme that can support the local infrastructure of Dundee. Dundee is a key location for Embark and this is a further demonstration of our long-term commitment to the area.”

Mark Flynn convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee, added: “We were pleased to help support the commitment Embark made to Dundee almost a year ago with the establishment of their permanent strategic operations centre in the city. That announcement was good news for employees and the economy of the city and since then Embark has gone on to cement its position in Dundee through its support of a number of initiatives most recently backing our first e-bike hire scheme.”