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Beryl and scheme partners Herefordshire Council are celebrating the impact of the introduction of e-bikes, after they replaced almost 21,000 private road transport journeys in their first year.
Since being introduced alongside the region’s shared bikes in February 2023, the vehicles have clocked up nearly 90,000 journeys across nearly 243,000km.
According to industry calculations, this has seen them save more than 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 Hereford are embracing the extra variety.
The latest Beryl Annual Rider Report, a survey of Beryl riders undertaken in summer 2023, showed that 84% of the riders asked in Hereford had ridden the e-bikes since their arrival.
t also revealed that 79% of those asked said that they regularly switched between bikes and e-bikes.
Phil Ellis, Beryl CEO and co-founder, said: “It’s great to see how much of an impact our e-bikes have had in Hereford and the numbers and feedback both show that riders have really embraced the variety that the scheme now offers them.
“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 reducing congestion and improving regional air quality, so why not give it a try.”
Beryl currently provides 200 bikes and 104 e-bikes for riders in Hereford to use, which have generated nearly 400,000 journeys across more than 937,000 km since the scheme was first launched in July 2019.
The project is part-funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
