Beryl, Herefordshire Council extend free bicycle trips initiative

Beryl and Herefordshire Council have extended the free bicycle trips initiative through to 13th September following an “unprecedented” uptake of riding during August.

Throughout the month-long initiative, almost 10,000 rides have been completed. With more than 200 Beryl bikes and 26 Beryl bays now in operation in Hereford, the extension of the ‘Better By Bike’ initiative will allow Beryl and Hereford Council to further streamline the expanded scheme.

At the conclusion of the free-ride initiative, Beryl will have implemented new parking bays, identified through requests from the public, data analysis from bay-to-bay journeys and work with Herefordshire Council. From there, 89% of Hereford residents will live within a five-minute walking distance of a bay.

“We’ve been really pleased with the uptake of the ‘Better by Bike’ initiative, and we’re happy to support a further two weeks of free Beryl Bike rides,” said councillor John Harrington, cabinet member for infrastructure and transport. “Now is the perfect time to start making short local journeys on two wheels, so please, if you can, hop on a bike and make some of those trips in a way that is better for you and the environment.”

Beryl CEO Philip Ellis added: “It’s been great to see such a high level of riding in Hereford throughout our Better By Bike initiative and we are delighted with the continued support from the Herefordshire Council to extend it for another fortnight.

“In so many ways, now is the time to change our transport habits that we haven’t previously questioned. Cycling may not be the best option for all trips, but a short journey by bike can reduce carbon emissions, free up valuable space on public transport, reduce congestion, make our streets safer and lead to a happier and healthier society.”

Those using Beryl bikes are encouraged to wash their hands immediately before and after use, stay two metres away from others whilst cycling and not to ride in large groups. Beryl’s guidance on the safe use of the service can be found here.

Read the September issue of BikeBiz below: