Hereford residents will soon have more opportunities to “Beryl it” as the city adds 47 new e-bikes to its existing fleet of 200 standard bicycles and 104 e-bikes.

The bikes are part of the popular Beryl bike-share scheme, which has already been used for over a quarter of a million individual journeys since its launch in 2019. Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet member for infrastructure and transport, says that the new e-bikes will make it even easier for riders to access the service, with an additional 55,000 people now located within a five-minute walk of a bay.

The arrival of the e-bikes will also help make longer journeys around the city accessible to everyone, regardless of fitness level. According to Harrington, the e-bikes have already made a real difference to some users’ decisions, with over 31 per cent of journeys made on Beryl bikes being journeys that would otherwise have been taken by car, motorbike or taxi.

The addition of the new e-bikes is expected to encourage even more residents to swap their cars for sustainable and healthy modes of transport. Phil Ellis, CEO and co-founder of Beryl, says the e-bikes are not only fun and versatile but also environmentally friendly, helping to reduce congestion and carbon emissions in the city.

The bikes can be hired from and returned to any of the existing Beryl bays located throughout the city. The Beryl app is available for free download.