A new fleet of 47 e-bikes are being made available to hire across the city’s scheme area this week via the Beryl app. 

Further e-bikes will be added over the coming weeks, making it a total of 200 bikes and 104 e-bikes available for users in Hereford.

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.

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.”

Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet member for infrastructure and transport, said: “We are very pleased to be welcoming these new e-bikes to the city’s already popular scheme. The figures show that, since launch, our fleet of Beryls have been a real asset, with over quarter of a million individual journeys made, helping to save 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.

“The e-bikes make it that bit easier to get out and about on two wheels, so I would encourage any riders who may be slightly nervous or less fit to give them a try.”

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 almost 290,000 journeys over 687,000km, the equivalent of over 17 journeys around the Earth. 

Based on 4,125 responses, 28.1% 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 35 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. This is the equivalent of approximately 2068 litres of petrol or 205 flights from London to Edinburgh.

In March last 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