Rental bike scheme could be expanded across Hampshire
Transport bosses are urging that funding be set aside for the project
Rental bikes could soon be offered across Totton and Gosport under plans drawn up by Hampshire transport leaders for the first major expansion of the Beryl Bikes scheme.
A report published ahead of next Monday’s (March 6) meeting of the Solent Transport Joint Committee recommends funding be set aside for the project with the two towns identified as priority areas.
The scheme was launched in October covering Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight with Beryl contracted under an agreement made by Portsmouth City Council on behalf of the Solent future transport zone (FTZ).
Both traditional pedal bikes and e-bikes are offered to hire.
‘A key aim for the…project is to expand after the initial launch into other areas of South Hampshire,’ the report recommending the expansion says, adding that discussions have been held with Hampshire County Council around the feasibility of rolling it out further.
‘The two shortlisted areas for implementation via Solent FTZ are Totton and Gosport as these locations are natural progressions from the existing schemes in Portsmouth and Southampton,’ it adds. ‘Subject to successful roll out of these pilot areas, additional locations within Hampshire will be investigated and funding sources external to the FTZ programme explored.’
The initial launch of the Beryl Bikes scheme was approved in June last year with £2.1m agreed. A further £341,000 has been allocated to fund the roll-out into the two towns.
Department for Transport data shows Portsmouth has attracted the highest number of users of the three areas with more than 1,800 people recorded through the Breeze app using the 162 bikes in the first two months of its operation.
In Southampton there were 1,362 unique users while the figure was 566 for the Isle of Wight. However, the average ride time in the latter was almost twice the length of the two cities at 47 minutes.
A wider launch of the scheme is scheduled to take place in May to mark its expansion beyond the three initial areas.