Uber is giving NHS staff free rides on its Jump electric bikes in a bid to help them get to work during the coronavirus lockdown.

The dockless rental service currently operates in the London boroughs of Camden, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, and Hackney, covering eight large NHS Trusts, the company said.

Workers, including doctors, nurses and hospital staff, will be able to claim a maximum of 50 redemptions with a cap of £10 per trip.

The bikes usually cost £1 to unlock, then 12p per minute.

Uber said it is now prioritising Jump for NHS workers to ensure they can safely park bikes near hospitals, and make their journey to work as easy as possible.

Jump bike
Jump bikes usually cost £1 to unlock, then £0.12 per minute (Uber/PA)

Given that bikes are shared, Uber has been working to ensure Jump operations are in line with the latest hygiene advice, following Transport for London’s (TfL) approach to cleaning trains and buses.

The firm said bikes – particularly handlebars and seats – are cleaned with products proven to be more than 99.9% effective against coronavirus strains within the same family as Covid-19.

“Our brave NHS staff need everyone across the UK to get behind them and provide support however we can,” said Dinika Mahtani, general manager of Jump London.

“From today Jump bikes will be available for tens of thousands of NHS workers to use for free, helping them get to and from hospitals so they can continue their vital work.”

Those eligible can register at jump.com/nhs using their NHS email.