Since being introduced alongside the region’s shared bikes and e-scooters on 26 July 2022, the vehicles have clocked up more than 20,000 journeys across nearly 76,000km. 

According to industry calculations, this has seen them save well over three tonnes of harmful Carbon Dioxide emissions, the equivalent of almost 1,500 litres of petrol. 

Research has also shown that, since the e-bikes arrived, riders in BCP are embracing the extra variety. The latest Beryl Annual Rider Report showed that the number of people riding bikes and e-scooters has almost doubled from 29% the previous year to 47% and the number of riders just using bikes has more than halved from 47% the previous year to just 20%. 

The anniversary coincides with the share scheme surpassing 200,000 unique users since it was first introduced. 

Beryl CEO and co-founder, Phil Ellis, said: “It’s great to see how much of an impact our e-bikes have had in BCP, not just in terms of cutting congestion and carbon emissions, but also in terms of encouraging people to try different modes of shared sustainable travel. 

“Our e-bikes are a fantastic way to get around and the extra power that they provide can make the occasionally hilly terrain more accessible to some riders and allow them to undertake longer journeys.

“They’re also great for commuting as, by picking up the extra slack, the electric assistance can help you arrive at work looking and feeling as fresh as when you first set off. 

“By swapping the car for an e-bike journey you’re not only boosting your own health and fitness, you’re also contributing towards improving regional air quality, so why not give it a try.”

Councillor Andy Hadley, BCP Council’s Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy said: “A key priority for the council is to ensure residents have the choices available to be able to undertake shorter journeys in a sustainable way.

“The use of an e-bike extends that choice, and fits the BCP area perfectly; whether your journey needs that bit of extra power to negotiate somewhere like Alder Hills, or you want to boost your fitness by pedalling around Christchurch or the hillier parts of Bournemouth.

“It’s great to see the service being enjoyed by so many residents, and to see how much of a positive difference it’s making to congestion and our local climate.”

Up to Saturday 30 September, riders across BCP and Dorset Councils can grab a free 30 minute journey on a Beryl pedal bike between 5am and 10am, seven days a week.

Beryl’s BCP scheme recently celebrated its fourth anniversary by passing the major service milestone of replacing over 2m kilometres of private road transport journeys - the equivalent of over 50 journeys around the Earth – with Beryl sustainable transport journeys.

Launched initially as a bike share scheme in partnership with BCP Council on 17 June 2019, the scheme has generated over 1.6m journeys, of which almost 400,000 have replaced trips that would have been taken in a car, van, taxi or motorbike. 

According to industry calculations, this has led to an overall saving of nearly 282 tonnes of harmful carbon dioxide emissions.

You can hire a Beryl 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 info, visit beryl.cc/scheme/bournemouth-christchurch-and-poole