Beryl has announced that along with Cornwall Council, it has launched the first part of its new e-bike share scheme in Falmouth, Cornwall. Quadrant Transport looks at how this will encourage people to swap their cars for an e-bike.
A fleet of 50 e-bikes are now available to hire across Falmouth, Cornwall via the Beryl app and can be returned to 20 ‘Beryl Bays’, which is said by Beryl to have been located following consultation with communities and key stakeholders.
The scheme will be operated by Beryl on behalf of Cornwall Council and has been funded by the council’s Carbon Neutral Cornwall Fund.
E-bikes Offer An Unique And Fun Way Of Travelling
CEO and co-founder of Beryl, Phil Ellis, said: “Cornwall is undoubtedly a fantastic place for people to take advantage of our e-bikes so I’m delighted that we’re up and running.
“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.
Over the next couple of months, the scheme will expand further to Newquay, Penzance, St Austell, and Truro, with each Cornish town set to welcome a new fleet of 50 e-bikes.
Riders can pay for their journeys in a variety of ways to suit individual needs and circumstances, with different passes and bundles available for single journeys and more regular users.
Pay As You Ride is explained by the company as best for single journeys or occasional rides and will cost uses £1.50 unlocking fee and 10p per minute. Minute Bundles enable regular users to buy upfront and save money, starting at 80 minutes for £5. Day Passes are suitable for people on long days out and offer people unlimited riding over a 24-hour period for £20.
Seeing Modal Shift Is Crucial To Meeting Our Net Zero Targets
Philip Desmonde, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport, said: “I am delighted that we will be able to bring this scheme to residents in these five areas. I hope it will encourage more people to leave the car at home and use pedal power – with a little assistance!
“This supports our ambitions to give residents choices about how they travel short distances – in Falmouth alone almost half of all car journeys to work are of less than 5km.
“Taking these journeys by e-bike can help make a difference not just to our environment, but our health too. This can be a fun way to travel, avoiding traffic congestion and the stress of finding somewhere to park. In most cases, it’s also cheaper than driving short distances.”
I do hope that when you have made your first use of this alternative way of travelling within your local area, you will become an avid fan – please try and enjoy!
Encouraging modal shift is vital in the UK delivering on its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050. As those wanting to travel by e-bike can hire the bikes via an app, it makes using them more appealing because it is more efficient, easy, and quick.