​Residents and tourists will be able to pick up and drop off bikes across the city

The first ever charity backed public bike hire scheme is to launch in Glasgow later this month.

Glasgow Bike Station will maintain and redistribute 400 bikes across the city as part of the Next Bike Glasgow Cycle Hire Scheme which will launch on 24 June.

Members of the public will be able to sign up and collect bikes at 31 locations across the city

Similar to the Barclays Cycle Hire initiative in London, commonly known as Boris bikes, members of the public will be able to sign up and collect bikes at 31 locations across the city.

Cyclists are given a four digit code to unlock a bike and can return it to any of the collection points.

Locations include Queen Street and Glasgow Central train station and various tourist hubs around the city.

Launched in time for the Commonwealth Games the scheme will benefit not just commuters but also visitors with six extra temporary locations set up for the games’ duration.

An annual membership to the scheme for regular users will cost £60 with hire costs expected to be free for the first 30 minutes and 50p an hour capped at £5 for up to 24 hours.

Non-members and casual users will also be able to hire bikes but are likely to pay slightly higher fees of: £1 for the first 30 minutes then £1 per hour capped at £10 for up to 24 hours.

Gregory Chauvet, managing director of the Bike Station, which has already taken delivery of the first bikes, said the charity was delighted to be part of the scheme which is the first major and largest bike hire scheme in Scotland.