Beryl scheme expands to Saltash

Shared transport operator, Beryl and partners Cornwall Council are extending the region’s e-bike share scheme to Saltash.

From Tuesday, March 26, 44 Beryl e-bikes will be available to use from 15 new Beryl bays across Saltash and Plymouth.

To celebrate the extension, Beryl is offering free unlocking and 10 minutes off the total journey for the first three months, from Tuesday, March 26, to Wednesday, June 26. The offer will apply to journeys that start and end in any of the 15 new bays across Saltash.

Phil Ellis, Beryl CEO and co-founder, said: “Our aim is to break down the barriers to active travel for as many people as possible, so I’m delighted that we are now able to offer a shared, sustainable transport option to people in Saltash.

“Our 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, allowing people to arrive at work clean and ready to go, and for carrying heavier loads such as shopping.

“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.”

The scheme is operated by Beryl on behalf of Cornwall Council and is part of a £2.8 million investment into active travel across Cornwall from the Good Growth programme, which is managed by Cornwall Council and funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The Beryl e-bikes will be available to use within Saltash and the Plymouth scheme area.

Richard Williams-Pears, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport, commented: “Our e-bike share scheme continues to go from strength to strength in Cornwall with many thousands of journeys clocked up since starting in September 2022.

“The Shared Prosperity Fund is about supporting the ambitions of our communities and we know there has been interest in a scheme in Saltash for some time. It will support residents making journeys to work, for training and for leisure, which is not just good for the environment, but our health too!

“As a Council we’re committed to putting the infrastructure in place to help residents make more sustainable choices about how they travel. I’m sure it won’t be long before the numbers of people using Beryl bikes in Saltash match the number using the e-bike share scheme elsewhere in Cornwall.”

Since first launching in Falmouth in September 2022, the e-bike share scheme has expanded to serve the Cornish communities of Penzance, Penryn, Truro, Newquay and St Austell. In that time, the e-bikes have clocked up over 148,000 rides covering nearly 382,000km – more than nine journeys around the Earth.

Beryl’s Plymouth e-bike share scheme also recently celebrated its first anniversary, having launched in March last year. In that time, it has generated nearly 100,000 journeys across nearly 250,000km – more than six journeys around the Earth.

Feedback from riders tells Beryl that, across the two schemes, almost a quarter of all the journeys have replaced road transport journeys. This has, according to industry calculations, saved nearly 12 tonnes of harmful carbon dioxide emissions in Cornwall, and nearly seven tonnes in Plymouth.

Welcoming the expansion of the scheme to Saltash, Cornwall Cllr Martin Worth, joint chair of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry joint committee, added: “It is great to see Beryl bikes now available for people living on the Saltash side of the Bridge to use.

“Almost two years ago the Joint Chairs questioned why the bikes were only on the Plymouth side. We pressed for the scheme to be expanded so that the bikes were the same on both ends of the Bridge and I am delighted that our request was heard and action was taken to ensure that this is now the case.”

Saltash Town Council are backing the expansion and are supporting by permitting Beryl stands to be installed on Town Council land at Saltash Railway Station, alongside Isambard House and at Pillmere.

The project fits with their Strategic Priorities aimed at better connecting Saltash and encouraging more active travel.

Cllr Richard Bickford, chairman of Saltash Town Council, said: “This is a fantastic scheme to get people around our town easily without having to rely on a vehicle. I would encourage everyone to give them a go and take advantage of the initial offer for some free use.

“Whether you are heading to the leisure centre, library, town centre or railway station, you should be able to find a dock to park your Beryl easily. We hope the scheme catches on and that more docks and bikes will be needed in the future.”

A B-Corp certified operator, Beryl is recognised for meeting required standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. They have appointed local not-for-profit social enterprise, Bikespace, to undertake maintenance and on-street logistics for Saltash.