THE rollout of Beryl bikes into Christchurch is expected to take place later this year, BCP Council’s cabinet member for transport has confirmed.

Councillor Andy Hadley said it would be subsidising the scheme’s expansion as part of its contribution towards multi-million plans to create sustainable transport “corridors” linking the conurbation and its neighbouring towns.

This will allow Beryl to introduce its dockless bikes into the town – a year after they were brought in in Bournemouth and Poole.

“There’s been good take up of the bikes so far and it’s a really key area of our wider ambitions,” Cllr Hadley told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“There are two real issues preventing more people from using bikes to travel – the lack of decent cycleways and the lack of ownership of a bike.

“Beryl does a really good job in terms of the second part, hopefully the transforming cities fund will go some way towards the first.”

He said he was also planning to look at possibly removing summer restrictions on cycling along the promenade in Bournemouth.

South east Dorset is one of 12 “city regions” chosen to bid for a share of the £1.2 billion government transforming cities fund.

At the end of last year three options – a lower £79.3 million sum, one for £98.4 million and the highest being £115.7 million – were put forward by the BCP Council-led team overseeing the work.

These bids include funding for improved connections between Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, Ferndown and Wareham.

An announcement on whether it has been successful is expected next month.

Any grant would be topped up by about £20 million of council investment.

Cllr Hadley said this sum would include funding to subsidise the rollout of Beryl into Christchurch which he said would take place later this year.

Beryl CEO Phillip Ellis said the company was seeking the views of people in the town to see what effect the move might have.

“In the case of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole we currently have an agreement to provide the service in Bournemouth and Poole as indicated in the service area in the app and on our website,” he said.

“We are very open to extending the service into Christchurch and would look to work closely with the local council to do so.”

Despite Cllr Hadley's comments, a spokesman for the council said a date for the roll-out had yet to be confirmed.