BERYL bikes and scooters are here to stay for another five years. 

The contract between the firm and BCP Council has been extended until 2029 – meaning the bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters will continue to be on offer across the conurbation. 

Sustainable travel will become even more sustainable, cost effective and convenient, Beryl has said, as it looks to introduce more vehicles and bays on BCP’s streets this year. 

Meanwhile, a new, easier-to-use locking system is also set to be trialled following feedback from users. 

Beryl’s annual rider report 2023 showed that convenience was the key factor when choosing to use Beryl vehicles, with 97 per cent of the 603 riders asked citing it as important.  

Bournemouth Echo:

Chief executive and co-founder Phil Ellis said: “As we close in on both the scheme’s fifth birthday and the two million journeys milestone, we’re really proud of everything we’ve achieved in BCP since we first launched. 

“However, it’s true that by standing still you can sometimes go backwards, which is why we’re constantly looking to work with our partners and our riders to deliver the best scheme we possibly can.  

“By doing this, we can help to encourage people to adopt even more sustainable transport habits and leave the car at home, especially for shorter journeys.  

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“Not only will this help to clean up the region’s air by reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions, it will also help get people more active and boost physical and mental health.” 

BCP Council’s sustainable transport policy manager John McVey added: “The BCP Council bike share scheme has been a great success since it launched in 2019 and it’s evolved and expanded significantly to provide high quality, accessible and easy to use sustainable transport for both residents and visitors to the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area. 

“We’re delighted to continue this partnership with Beryl and excited about the planned enhancements to the scheme over the next five years, which directly supports the councils’ objectives around developing an eco-friendly and active transport network.” 

Since launching in June 2019, the scheme has generated nearly 1,920,000 rides across more than 4.1 million miles. 

According to Beryl, the journeys have replaced more than 700,000 private vehicle journeys and prevented nearly 250 tonnes of CO2 emissions across the three towns.