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British micromobility provider Beryl has recorded strong ridership throughout 2020, with its bike share schemes across the UK showing a surge in female ridership and new people cycling.
As the UK experienced a boom in cycling, Beryl’s bike share schemes across the UK, including Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, Norwich, Watford and Hereford, have now ridden more than 2,078,000 kilometres on more than half a million trips with Beryl vehicles, approximately equivalent to 342.73 tonnes of CO2 saved.
Among riders recently surveyed across beryl cities, Beryl documented 50% female ridership, 48% male and 2% transgender female and gender variant/non-conforming. The reported ethnicities and nationalities of riders also closely matched the population demographics of each Beryl city. 58% of those that rode Beryl bikes came back to cycling after a break of five years, 28% said they now use private cars less often and 34% of riders are now considering buying their own bike.
Beryl’s bike share scheme also played a key role in helping NHS and key workers take essential trips during the first national lockdown, where, in partnership with local councils, Beryl provided over 10,000 free rides for NHS staff across the nation, alongside distributing more than 480,000 free riding minutes to wider key workers.
To enable more people to get out on Beryl bikes and experience the benefits of the scheme over the Christmas period, Beryl is offering riders 50% off its 200-minute bundles. Minute bundles can be used across all Beryl cities and vehicles. This will be available from 23rd-27th of December.
Beryl CEO Philip Ellis said: “At Beryl, our mission is to build a better world by getting more people moving sustainably and removing the barriers to active transport. This year we saw an incredible amount of people support our vision as, particularly during the first national lockdown, one of the safest and most enjoyable modes of transport was by bicycle.
“I’m delighted that our bike share scheme has seen a rise in female ridership as well as getting new people cycling. Beryl’s innovative approach to bike share makes us an industry leader in giving the public convenient access to bikes, which is hugely important in getting and keeping new people cycling.
“I’d like to thank all the local councils who we have worked with in 2020 and for the support they continue to show for initiatives that have allowed more people to go by bike. I’d also like to thank everybody who has hired a Beryl bike in 2020, they have made a significant impact in making their local areas a greener place to live and move about.
“We hope that all journeys by Beryl bike have allowed users a period of enjoyment that’s also been of benefit to their mental and physical health during a complicated year.”
