Just two months into its new five year contract period,  the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole scheme has become the first one operated by Beryl to reach two million journeys. Launched on 17 June 2019, the scheme has also passed seven million kilometres - the equivalent of almost 175 trips around the Earth.

The landmark coincides with the start of Bike Week 2024, an annual event held to raise awareness of cycling and all the positive impacts it can have. To mark the week-long celebration, Beryl is running a special promotion from 10 -16 June, offering all new riders their first 15 minutes on a bike or e-bike for free.*

Beryl CEO and co-founder, Phil Ellis, said: “We’re constantly reviewing the scheme alongside our partners, stakeholders and riders to ensure we’re delivering the best rider experience possible in BCP. That’s why we’re so proud to have clocked up two million journeys so far, as we know what a significant impact they’ve had on congestion, physical activity and air quality levels. 

“Direct feedback from our riders tells us that, on average, around a quarter of all Beryl journeys in BCP have directly replaced those that would have been taken in a private car, taxi, van or motorbike. 

“They’ve also generated over 866,000 hours of physical activity, proven to benefit both physical and mental health, while industry calculations show that they’ve saved over 250 tonnes of carbon emissions.  

“If you haven’t given shared transport a try yet, then Bike Week is the perfect opportunity to have a go, especially with your first fifteen minutes for free.”

Julian McLaughlin, Director for Growth and Infrastructure at BCP Council, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the performance of our bike and e-scooter share scheme, with demand far exceeding expectations. It’s great both our residents and visitors are choosing this convenient and healthy transport option for getting around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

“It’s so easy to download the app and unlock a bike or scooter, with over 400 parking places available at key destinations, and with more e-bikes being added this summer, the scheme will further help cut both carbon and congestion with a focus on reaching three million rides moving forward.”   

The latest annual Rider Report for Beryl, which surveyed over 600 people across BCP last September, showed that the scheme has helped many people adopt more sustainable transport habits. Since first using Beryl, 43% of respondents now cycle more often and 34% have reduced their use of cars. 

The rider report also showed that riders across BCP continue to embrace multiple modes, with 35% riding bikes and e-scooters and 28% riding all three modes compared to 15% that just ride pedal bikes and 13% that just ride e-scooters. It also showed that Beryl is having a positive impact on lapsed cyclists in the region, with 16% of respondents returning to cycling after a short break (1-5 years) and 17% returning after a break of more than 5 years.

A B Corp registered company, Beryl is recognised for meeting exceptional standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

You can hire a Beryl Bike, e-Bike or e-scooter 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 schemes, please visit beryl.cc/scheme/bournemouth-christchurch-and-poole 

*one redemption per rider and offer not applicable to e-scooters