A OXFORD bike-sharing scheme has been so successful, with more than 1,000 regular users, it is set to be launched in five more cities across the UK.

The app, launched in April, has since grown with more than 200 bikes being hired out by commuters, students, professors and tourists for as little as £1 per day.

Users are sent a location and a code to their smartphone to unlock the bike which they can hire for however long its owner does not need it.

CEO Agne Milukaite, an Oxford University graduate, revealed the scheme's success would see it rolled out in Cambridge, Bristol, Brighton, London and Edinburgh as well as expanded here in Oxford.

She said: "It has just grown and grown - at first people were like 'why should I share my bike that's a stupid idea' but we have now more than 200 bikes being used.

"One of the main reason it has done well is because people cycle a lot in Oxford, the roads are so congested it's the best way to get around.

"There are a lot of students using it and tourists visiting for a few days can use it as well."

Bikes have been hired out using the service for a collective time of more than 1000 days, with charges varying based on the time and type of bike.

Expensive road bicycles are only exchanged at bike shops in the city while regular bikes can be picked up from any location.

Ms Milukaite said that there had been one theft of a Cycle.land bike since the it began in April.

She said: "We work out the value of the bike and the user is responsible for it while they hire it out.

"A lady visiting Oxford from Tokyo hired a bike for a week and got in touch saying it had been stolen near Christ Church - and she transferred £50 to the owner."

The keyless lock is activated by smartphones and the app also enables users to pay the owner over their phone.

Aside from the expansion to other cities the Cycle.land team set targets to further grow in Oxford, with businesses at the centre of their vision.

She said: "We are working with Oxfam at the moment based at Oxford Business Park and they want to encourage more of their staff to cycle to work.

"They are very keen for staff to share bikes, on their way to work and also to go out to meetings and working with more and more businesses will be part of our structure going forward.

"We also want more tourists, maybe only in the city for one day, to use our bikes - as it's a great way to explore Oxford.

She added: "Who knows in five years time Oxford's road may no longer be congested."

To book or register our own bike for the scheme visit cycle.land or download the app.