London mayor Boris Johnson has marked a year since the launch of the capital's cycle hire scheme by announcing that sponsor Barclays is to provide an additional £25m of funding.
The investment will enable the Barclays Cycle Hire service to expand throughout south west and west London by summer 2013, with Barclays extending its sponsorship until 2018.
London boroughs now set to welcome the scheme include Wandsworth; Hammersmith and Fulham; Kensington and Chelsea; Lambeth. Transport for London will draw up the plans.
Johnson said: "It is testament to the huge impact of Barclays Cycle Hire and to the rapidly increasing popularity of pedal power in London that I can announce we are now planning to swathe a huge chunk of the west of our city with our beautiful blue bikes."
