Electric bike share scheme launched in Plymouth

A fleet of more than 100 electric bikes have become available to hire in Plymouth.

Beryl Bikes, the company behind the project, said within a year there would be 510 e-bikes in the city.

The bike share scheme has launched with 120 e-bikes and 29 parking bays, which will extend to just under 100 bays within 12 months.

It is part of a government-backed initiative to get more people to use low carbon travel options.

There are similar projects in Falmouth, Penzance and Norwich.

Emily Brooke, Beryl Bikes co-founder, said the company wanted to make cities cleaner, healthier and better places to live in and believed bikes have "much to offer as part of a green, sustainable transport system".

The company claims to be the UK's leading micromobility provider, with more than 300,000 people using its bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters and cargo bikes.

Kate Palmer, the South West scheme lead, said it was cost effective, kept people active, helped improve the environment and was convenient.

To hire a bike or e-scooter a user needs to download an app used to find bikes in designated Beryl bays and to unlock them.

There is a £1 unlock fee for the pay as you ride option which costs 15p a minute.

For multiple journeys the price stays the same, but the company offers bundles with no unlocking fee, ranging from £15 for 100 minutes to £60 for 400 minutes.

The company said the batteries on the electric bikes would last for about 50-60km (30-37 miles) and are changed by staff when they reach 10%.

The company is named after Beryl Burton, a pioneering English cyclist who won seven world titles and set numerous records during the 1960s.

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