Manchester agency The Foundry has won the brand development and advertising campaign for a new rail/bike hire service.

As part of a new initiative to integrate transport options at stations, Abellio, part owner of Merseyrail, Northern Rail and Greater Anglia, has decided to offer an alternative to using cars, buses and taxis after train journeys. The £1.65 million scheme, due to be launched in summer 2013, provides a bike hire service to commuters at 50 stations across the three regions. 

Abellio put the research, brand development and communications marketing programme out to four-way pitch last December, and chose the Foundry to take the new venture forward.

Margriet Cuypers, cycling project manager at Abellio, said: “The Foundry’s approach was professional and very reassuring – their strategic thinking and creativity added a new dimension to the project, and I was impressed by the way they have embraced the concept.”

The service launches summer 2013 and the Foundry is currently developing and testing names and graphic identities for the new brand, along with business and consumer communications.

Kevin Murphy, Foundry MD said: “This is a brilliant win for The Foundry, the contract gives us a great opportunity to play our part in developing a scheme and campaign we are all so excited about.”