Barclays Cycle Hire (BCH) is a public bicycle sharing scheme, launched on 30 July 2010 in London. The scheme’s bicycles are popularly known as Boris Bikes, after Boris Johnson, who was the Mayor of London when the scheme began.
Credit for developing and enacting the Barclays bicycle share scheme has been a source of debate. Boris Johnson has claimed credit for the plan, although the initial concept was announced by Johnson’s predecessor Ken Livingstone, during the latter’s term in office.