The scheme will start with an initial pool of 200 pedal bikes and 230 e-bikes and will gradually build up to a fleet of over 1000 across the three areas by spring 2023.
As with all Beryl schemes, it has been designed to provide the best possible service for users by being delivered both in partnership with cities and in consultation with communities and key stakeholders. Once the scheme is expanded, 90% of people living in the operating area will be within a five-minute walk of a hire bike.
By providing bikes at more than 100 sites across the region, the scheme will aim to inspire even more people to take up sustainable travel, helping to improve air quality and public health.
Beryl CEO Phil Ellis said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to launch the scheme in Portsmouth, Southampton and on the Isle of Wight and, in doing so, enable more people to take advantage of the excellent local cycling infrastructure.
“As with all our schemes, this has been designed to provide the best possible service for users by being delivered both in partnership with the local authority and in consultation with communities and key stakeholders.”
Councillor Lynne Stagg, Chair of the Solent Transport Joint Committee and Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation at Portsmouth City Council, said “As we face a global climate emergency, it’s more important than ever that our residents have access to more sustainable ways to travel.
“We are delighted to be able to launch the scheme across three key areas in the Solent. We want to make cycling as easy and accessible for as many of our residents as possible.
“Beryl Bikes by Breeze will not only help protect the natural environment but encourage people to get active and even save money at a time when fuel is so expensive.”
Running as a trial as part of the Solent Future Transport Zone, the scheme is funded by the Department for Transport. It aims to help reduce congestion and CO2 emissions, improve air quality and inspire healthy, active travel choices across the Solent region.
Isle of Wight Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council are united in their vision for delivering a regional bike share scheme that offers a more cost effective and coordinated approach to transforming public transport as part of the Solent Future Transport Zone.
Both pedal bikes and e-bikes are available for everyone aged 16 and over, offering fun, easy and sustainable travel for residents and visitors alike. In future, cargo bikes and adapted bikes will be added to the scheme, ensuring that whatever the riders’ requirements, a suitable vehicle will be available.
Riders can hire a bike through the Beryl app and Breeze, the new transport super-app developed by Solent Transport, that also lets you hire e-scooters and plan journeys on buses and trains across south Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. In future more features such as buying bus, rail and ferry tickets will be added.
Both the Beryl and Breeze apps are available for download on the App Store for iOS and the Google Play Store for Android users. Once registered, you can use the apps to simply pick up and drop off bikes at secure parking places close to where you live and work.
Riders will be offered a choice of ways to pay to suit different types of journeys: Pay-As-You-Ride (£1 unlock fee + 5p per minute) or Minute Bundles (no unlock fee and bundles starting at 100 minutes for £5). Once their ride is complete, users simply close the lock on the bike to complete their ride and make it available for the next person to use. GPS trackers on the bikes will alert Beryl to any misuse, vandalism and vehicles ending up in locations outside the zone of operation.
For more information, visit https://beryl.cc/where-you-can-hire