TfL and Santander celebrate the 15th anniversary of cycle hire in London with exciting photography competition

Transport for London (TfL) and Santander are celebrating the 15th anniversary of cycle hire in the capital, with a competition to find 15 iconic images of Santander Cycles that showcase London’s beautiful natural landscapes, landmarks and hidden gems.

Riders are encouraged to capture a moment with their Santander Cycle – whether it’s a famous landmark, a peaceful park, or a golden-hour sunset. The 15 winning photographs will showcase beautiful sights that define cycling in the capital.

TfL is working with Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Natural History Museum, London, who will help judge the best photographs and select 15 winning shots. Those 15 winners will receive a free annual Santander Cycles membership (worth £120) and a pair of tickets to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum (valid October 2025 – June 2026). One first prize winner will also receive five tickets to a breakfast reception at the museum on 6 November and a chance to explore the museum before it opens to the public.

TfL launched London's flagship cycle hire scheme on 30 July 2010 across eight London boroughs with 315 docking stations. Today, there are more than 12,000 cycles available, including more than 2,000 electric cycles from more than 800 docking stations.

TfL and Santander made significant improvements to the Santander Cycles scheme in March by doubling the day pass ride time to one hour and reducing the price of hiring an e-bike. Now customers can make unlimited journeys under 60 minutes in a 24-hour period for just £3.50. The changes are helping to make cycling more accessible to Londoners and tourists and providing them with affordable and green methods of travelling across the capital.

London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, said: “For 15 years, TfL’s cycle hire scheme has helped make cycling more accessible and supported Londoners to choose cleaner, healthier ways to get around – playing a key role in the Mayor’s plans for a more sustainable city. 

"I encourage Londoners to enter this anniversary competition. There are some fantastic prizes up for grabs and it’s a great opportunity to celebrate the brilliant places you can discover by bike, whether it’s a famous London landmark or a hidden gem off the beaten track.”

David Eddington, Head of Cycle Hire at TfL, said: “The London cycle hire scheme has become an iconic London transport mode over the past 15 years, much loved, and photographed, by millions of Londoners and visitors. We are excited to celebrate this by partnering with the Natural History Museum to find 15 photographs that showcase some of the amazing things you can see cycling in London. We and Santander are committed to further improving and growing the scheme in the future so even more people can discover the joy of cycling.”

Melissa Noakes, Head of Sponsorships and Events at Santander UK, said: "We're incredibly proud to have helped millions of Londoners and visitors each year explore the city through the Santander Cycles scheme. It has been an honour to watch the scheme grow and evolve over the past 15 years, and to work alongside TfL in this fantastic partnership for the past ten. Watch this space for more exciting projects to come from us in the coming months."

To enter the competition riders simply need to email their photograph to cyclehire15@tfl.gov.uk before the 10 September.

Riders are encouraged to explore London’s hidden gems as well as famous landmarks and parks and the new Santander Cycles ‘Side Quest’ cycling routes are perfect for this. These routes, accessible through a dedicated website and QR codes on Santander Cycles, encourage users to discover hidden gems and unique experiences beyond typical tourist hotspots. The routes are themed, offering diverse experiences like "Thrift Store Tour," "Park Life," and "The Brutalist," with the goal of making cycling a fun and integral part of exploring London. 

The fifteenth anniversary of cycle hire in London is part of TfL’s 25th anniversary campaign and several Santander Cycles will be transformed with a TfL 25th anniversary inspired design. TfL also launched a search to find superfans of public transport earlier in the year to celebrate its quarter of century and two young cycling superfans recently enjoyed a behind the scenes tour of the Santander Cycles depot as part of their prize.