A SOUTHAMPTON cycle scheme is to pull out of the city just one year after threats to quit due to vandalism.

YoBikes, a bicycle hire scheme throughout the city, has announced it will be leaving Southampton on August 14 with an email sent to customers stating YoBikes are stopping to operate in the city.

However, civic chiefs have said they will look into bike rental within the city, stating that it could be successful "with the right approach".

Last August, Dave Munday, operations director of YoBikes in Southampton, suggested that he may leave the city due to acts of vandalism towards the bikes – although he later dismissed this idea.

It has not been confirmed why YoBike will be leaving the city.

In a letter sent out to customers, YoBike said: "We would like to inform you that we will stop YoBike operation in Southampton on 14 August 2019.

"Thank you for being on the journey with us.

"If you have remaining credits in your wallet or unfinished membership, please use the in-app customer service for a refund.

"Even though we are stopping YoBike operation in Southampton, we are not leaving.

"We still believe bike-sharing is a great solution to problems such as congestion, pollution in a modern city.

"Therefore, we will provide a new subscription-based model of sharing through employers and corporates."

The Daily Echo contacted YoBikes but did not get a response.

The scheme, which started in 2017, allows its users to unlock and ride bikes around the city with the use of an app.

Cllr Jacqui Rayment, cabinet member for transport and place at Southampton City Council, said: “We were disappointed to see that the parent company of the national YoBike scheme has decided to withdraw its bikes from public use in Southampton.

"This was a privately run and funded service operating independently of Southampton City Council.

“Although this particular operation has had to cease, we continue to believe that a bike rental scheme can be successful in Southampton with the right approach.

"We will be looking at this with our partners in the near future as one part of our commitment to deliver a greener, cleaner more sustainable city for all.”