1980's		The first attempt by Mr Hanning to devise an automated bicycle hire system was discussed as a concept in the early nineteen eighties along the lines of swipe card access and a fixed cabled network of hire and return points, not dissimilar to a hire system installed four years ago in Rennes France.
Summer 2000		Mr Hanning reviewed the concept in the summer of 2000 using the mobile phone as the infrastructure medium. Mr Hanning started to develop a locking and release system that would be operated with a one time code, delivered to the mobile phone by SMS. This code is entered into a keypad to activate a release mechanism for a lock bar. The use of the mobile phone has the key benefit of low costs for the communication infrastructure needed to operate the system.
Autumn 2000		In the Autumn of 2000 Mr Hanning saw the Homeport locking system being demonstrated as a secure delivery system for domestic users, Mr Hanning approached Homeport Ltd with the concept and discussed the adaptations that were needed for his system to use the Homeport device. At the same time Mr Hanning was reviewing possible pilot scheme locations in London. Hammersmith & Fulham had a number of distinct elements that created an ideal test bed for the system.
Winter 2000		Contact was made with Mr Simon Franklin of Hammersmith & Fulham London Borough Council on the 29th December 2000 who confirmed an interest in taking things further. Following a successful demonstration of the prototype to Mr Franklin and others a proposal for the deployment of the locks on bike stands in the borough was presented to the Deputies. Mr Simon Franklin’s proposal was given the go ahead to explore these proposals further. Patent searches were undertaken and a patent in the name of B.W.Hanning European Patent Application 02250767.7 was filed on the 5th February 2002 and published on the 7th August 2002
Summer 2004		A pilot in Hammersmith & Fulham started with all systems and components tested. The system launched to the general public in August 2004