BCP Council Beryl bike scheme extended for further five years

The Beryl bike scheme has been running across Dorset since June 2019

A council has extended a successful bike scheme for a further five years.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council's partnership with Beryl will see 800 pedal bikes, 750 e-bikes, and 500 e-scooters available for instant hire across more than 400 parking bays.

The scheme has been running since June 2019.

The council said the bikes had grown in popularity as a way for people to make short journeys.

It claimed the initiative had generated locally "more than 1,827,000 rides... the equivalent of nearly 160 journeys around the Earth".

Beryl CEO and co-founder Phil Ellis added: "The numbers show just how popular it has been and how many private car journeys it has taken off the road, contributing towards reducing road congestion, improving air quality and meeting carbon reduction targets.

"It's also broken down the barriers to sustainable transport for a lot of people who otherwise may not have had access to, or have been willing to try getting around by bike, e-bike or e-scooter."