Beryl Bikes were introduced to Leeds in September 2023 An e-bike rental scheme has been used to make more than 70,000 journeys in its first 12 months.
The £2.8m Leeds City Bikes launched in September 2023, with 300 e-bikes available across 40 locations.
A year on while some users described the bikes as "the best way to travel" around the city, others said safety and cost were an issue while the company behind the scheme warned vandalism was also a concern.
West Yorkshire’s mayor Tracy Brabin said she wanted to make the bikes cheaper to use but asked for people to treat them "with respect". West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin said vandalism was putting the scheme at risk Civil servant Rick Webb, 42, said he used the bikes a couple of times a week to get from Headingley to the city centre.
He said, despite the price, it was still the best way to travel.
“A lot of people are considering the cost of them at the moment and they’re saying compared with the bus they’re quite expensive, but actually the cost isn’t the primary driver for me,” he said.
“It’s the quickest and most efficient way of getting in and out of town. I can’t even get an Uber quicker than that.”Leeds City Council said the cost of the Beryl Bikes was in line with other schemes across the country, with bikes available from as little as 16p a minute after paying a £1 unlocking fee.Tom Forth, head of data at Open Innovations in […]
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