An additional 47 Beryl e-bikes are being added to Hereford’s fleet this week.
More will be added over the coming weeks, making a total of 200 bikes and 104 e-bikes available for users in the city.
The e-bikes can be hired from and returned to any of the existing 69 ‘Beryl Bays’ that are located across the city. Currently, 55,000 people are just five minutes (or less) walk from a bay, which represents 90% of the service area's population.
Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet member for infrastructure and transport, said: “I’m really pleased these extra e-bikes have finally arrived after market supply chain issues in the summer caused a delay. The e-bikes we have make a real difference to some user’s decisions and have given people the opportunity to use a bike to make longer journeys around the City. The e-bikes also make it that bit easier for any riders who may be slightly nervous or don’t feel fit enough to use a standard Beryl and the arrival of these extra e-bikes will give us all more chance of finding one in a bay!
“I welcome the addition to our City’s already popular scheme of e and standard bikes. The figures show that, since launch, our fleet of Beryls have been a real asset, with over quarter of a million individual journeys made, potentially saving over nine tonnes of CO2 emissions.
“It’s important that we continue to provide the means and opportunities for as many people as possible to enjoy the benefits of healthy, sustainable modes of transport such as cycling. As well as being great for your physical wellbeing, active travel helps to reduce harm to the environment, improves air quality and eases congestion on our roads. Many of us have to travel by car but these e-bikes give more of us a realistic choice and an opportunity to “Beryl it” to get where we want to go.”
Beryl initially launched in Hereford in July 2019 with 75 bikes, eventually rising to 200 bikes with an additional 30 e-bikes added in March 2021.
Since launch, the scheme has proven to be very popular, generating 270,546 journeys over 648,000km. Based on 4,125 responses, 31.5% of these journeys would have otherwise have been made using a car, motorbike or taxi/Uber.*
According to industry calculations, the journeys taken so far have saved over nine tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. This is the equivalent of approximately 531 litres of petrol or 53 flights from London to Edinburgh.
Beryl CEO and co-founder, Phil Ellis, said: “With its multiple modes, Hereford is a great example of how delivering a range of services can better contribute towards the aims of an integrated transport network.
“E-bikes are a really fun and versatile way to travel and their extra power can really open up areas, enabling riders to tackle hills and undertake longer journeys. They’re also great for commuting, helping to reduce physical exertion and allowing people to arrive at work clean and ready to go.
“By swapping the car for an e-bike journey you’re not only boosting your own health and fitness, you’re also helping to reduce congestion and harmful carbon emissions, so why not give it a try.”
In March this year, it was announced that Beryl will provide the city’s bike share scheme for another five years, after it was successful in a competitive tendering process.
In line with its status as a B Corporation certified company – recognised for meeting exceptional standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency - Beryl delivers the Hereford scheme with local delivery partners. This includes local cycling courier solutions company Pedicargo, who distribute the bikes, and community interest company Hereford Cycle Hub, who help to maintain them.
The Beryl app is available for free download on the App Store for iOS, and the Google Play Store for Android users.
For more information, visit beryl.cc