Launched on Monday 2 March 2020, the scheme is celebrating its third anniversary having recently amassed over 308,000 journeys across more than 900,000km. 

The numbers show that the scheme is going from strength to strength, having amassed 88,891 journeys in its first year, 105,172 journeys in its second year (18% increase on previous year) and 113,937 in the third year (8.3% increase on previous year). 

Feedback from users shows that almost a fifth of all bike and e-bike journeys in Watford have replaced road transport journeys - including driving a car/van, being a passenger in a car/van, using a taxi or riding a motorbike or moped. 

This equates to 38 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions saved; the equivalent of around 2242 litres of petrol or more than 222.4 flights from London to Edinburgh.*

Beryl CEO, Phil Ellis, said: “We’re delighted that the scheme is becoming more popular each passing year and is proving to be a convenient, sustainable and easy to use transport option for many people. 

“By offering both bikes and e-bikes, which have their own benefits and appeals, we are delivering a range of services that can better contribute towards the aims of an integrated transport network.

“I’d also like to thank all of our customer service and on-street teams; who work incredibly hard to ensure the scheme runs successfully and provide a great service to our users on a daily basis.

“This is important if we want to get people out of the car and reduce congestion while improving public health and the quality of our air.”

Elected Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor said, “A cycle hire scheme was a commitment from my first manifesto and since we launched the Beryl bikes three years ago, the scheme has gone from strength to strength.

“Many thousands of residents, workers and visitors across Watford have used a Beryl bike as an alternative to more polluting vehicles. This means they have helped to reduce congestion in our town and improve air quality, making our town a healthier and greener place to live and work.

“I am pleased to see that our residents have embraced this scheme as a practical and accessible way to travel around Watford, and it is inspiring to see the positive impact it has had on our town’s environmental footprint. Our close partnership with Beryl over the past three years we have been able to make great strides towards a cleaner, healthier future for our community here in Watford.”

Watford resident, 51-year-old Tanya Bartley, is a regular user of the scheme, often using Beryl bikes or e-bikes up to three times per week. Tanya claims that her Beryl journeys have replaced less sustainable forms of transport including the car and public transport. The ability to hop on and off a bike with relative ease was the most attractive factor for her. 

“Convenience is the biggest factor for me. I use the Beryl bikes for everything local, whether I am going shopping, attending an appointment or even taking a relaxing cycle around Watford Town centre or the local park.”

The scheme is a key component in Watford Borough Council’s pledge to become a carbon neutral town with more sustainable travel options

The bikes can be picked up from or dropped off at clearly marked ‘Beryl bays’, which were located and installed in partnership with Watford Borough Council and key stakeholders. This means that, currently, 83,300 people are a 5 minutes-walk from a bay, representing 86% of the service area's population.

You can hire a Beryl Bike or an e-bike through the Beryl app, available for free download on the App Store for iOS, and the Google Play Store for Android users. 

For more information on Beryl’s innovative bike share scheme, please visit beryl.cc/bikeshare.