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Beryl and partners Watford Borough Council are celebrating a significant milestone for the bike and e-bike share scheme.
Launched in March 2020, the scheme has now clocked up more than half a million sustainable journeys across 1.34 million kilometres.
This has generated around 190,000 hours of physical activity and, according to industry calculations, saved more than 51 tonnes of carbon emissions, a significant boost for public health and the region’s air quality.
Beryl CEO and co-founder, Phil Ellis, said: “We know, from speaking to them directly, that our riders in Watford really value the convenience and speed of bike share when compared to other forms of transport.
“We also know that they value the multimodality of the scheme, with our e-bikes offering the electric assist that makes them ideal for commuting and more accessible to people with certain mobility issues.
“We will continue to work alongside our council partners and listen to feedback from our riders to ensure our scheme remains as convenient, safe and user friendly as possible.”
The Beryl Annual Rider Report 2023 showed that the scheme has had a positive impact on rider behaviour in Watford, with 62% of riders cycling more often or much more often since joining Beryl, 33% reducing their use of cars and 38% reducing their use of taxis.
It also showed that 49% of riders in Watford have used a Beryl vehicle to replace a car, van, motorcycle or taxi journey (either as a driver or a passenger).
Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, added: “In 2018 I made a commitment to deliver this scheme.
“Watford was the first district council in the country to provide a bike share scheme and it is good to see how well used the bikes have been.
“As we move forward, Beryl Bikes will remain central to our efforts to create a cleaner, less congested Watford for everyone.”
Earlier this year, Watford Borough Council announced its decision to extend its contract with Beryl to provide the borough’s bike and e-bike share services until 2026.
