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Residents will be able to continue using e-bikes and e-scooters to travel sustainably following confirmation Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council has extended its partnership with Beryl for a further five years.
The new contract will see the green transport operator providing 800 pedal bikes, 750 e-bikes and 500 e-scooters for instant hire across more than 400 parking bays across the local area until 2028. For the first time, there are also plans to introduce a handful of innovative e-cargo bikes for local businesses, with these eco-friendly vehicles able to carry out sustainable deliveries aimed at replacing trips a van would normally do. The Beryl initiative has been running across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole since June 2019, and continues to grow in popularity as more people choose scooters and bicycles to make short journeys. Since the scheme was introduced across the conurbation four-and-a-half years ago, it has generated more than 1,827,000 rides across nearly 6.4million kilometres – the equivalent of nearly 160 journeys around the Earth. These journeys have had a significant impact on reducing traffic congestion across Dorset, replacing 650,000 private vehicle journeys. They’ve also contributed towards getting people active and improving air quality, preventing more than 235 tonnes of CO2 emissions. The achievements of the partnership between Beryl and BCP Council saw it claim The Municipal Journal (MJ) Award for the UK’s Best Transport Decarbonisation Project back in June this year – an accolade considered the highest level of recognition in the UK local authority community. Beryl have also provided over 180,000 free rides to job seekers, students, low-income hospitality workers, refugees, cycle training organisations and other community group members across the conurbation as part of their Community Champions initiative. They have also provided opportunities, skills, and training to those with additional learning needs and continue to work with the council on its Supported Internships project, which helps young people aged 19 to 25 who have completed formal school and college but need a final hand in gaining paid employment.
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Peddle power is now available to rent in Corfe Mullen and Upton to help residents and visitors get around.
People can now rent one of 80 Beryl bikes – both pedal and electric – which can be picked up from bays in the towns. The bays, marked with green Beryl signage, are located at sites around the towns, with riders needing to download the Beryl app to book their bike and hit the road. Having already proven a success in Wimborne, Ferndown, Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Wool, and Studland, the bike share scheme is now expanding its reach so more people can explore the area. Dorset’s bike rental scheme launched in August last year and, so far, has generated more than 5,500 journeys covering nearly 20,000km. Several companies across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole have benefited from a share of a £55,000 funding pot aimed at supporting them to improve sustainable and active travel facilities for their employees.
Funded through the governments Transforming Cities Fund, these ‘Trip End Facilities’ grants have enabled local businesses to install everything from bike racks, shelters and showers to lockers and security lighting on their respective sites. Firms across the region were invited to apply for the grants, with £500 to £20,000 available to spend on the active travel facilities they think their employees would benefit most from. A total of five local companies were successful with their grant application to provide facilities which will not only encourage their employees to explore more environmentally friendly, active ways to travel into work but make it much easier and safer for them to do so. The Hamworthy-based Adam Practice, one of the largest GP surgeries on the south coast, now boasts a brand-new cycle shelter with CCTV equipment, as well as D-locks for added security. Technology and mobility specialists, April Six, located in Christchurch, also has a new shelter, as well as a facility where staff can dry wet clothes should they encounter wet weather on their way to work and a bike maintenance stand equipped with tools and pumps. Staff working at Beryl Bikes in Boscombe can now utilise lockers and a drying room, with plumbing and electrics installed so they can shower. Bournemouth University has installed new modern cycle racks which also cater for those with cargo and adapted bikes, equipped with electric charging points too. While the Pause Cat Café in Bournemouth is also providing its workforce and volunteers with shelters, lockers and drying facilities so they can store their bikes safely and get ready for shifts on site. There has also been wider recognition for three of the businesses taking part in the scheme, with The Adam Practice, Beryl, and April Six awarded ‘Gold Cycle-Friendly Employer’ by charity Cycling UK. The accolade is given based on employers’ cycle-friendly culture, infrastructure and policies, with a priority on putting staff and the environment first. A consultation asking residents their thoughts on reducing the speed limit in a town centre has launched.
Dorset Council launched its public consultation for a new proposed 20mph speed limit across much of Wimborne town centre on Thursday, October 12. Public notices have been put up on display around the town centre and forms part of a wider county consultation including Bridport, Langton Matravers, Pimperne, and Winfrith. It follows a scheme set up in November in which parish councils could apply to be a part of the county council’s 20mph Panel Group. A car-free celebration is being held in Dorchester today.
The county town will mark an international car-free day, today, Friday, September 22 with a 'Streets Alive' event. It will be held at the Acland Road car park between 12pm and 5pm. The Acland Road car park will be closed for the day, but all other car parks in the town will remain open. Local schoolchildren will be taking part with members of the public also invited along. Streets Alive aims to educate the public into finding fun and engaging alternatives to driving, as well as to enjoy the health benefits of active transport and 'reclaim their urban spaces. Dorchester hosts it’s “Streets Alive!” event, celebrating International Car-Free Day in Acland Road car park on Friday 22nd September 2023. There will be a festival with stalls, music, activities, and demonstrations in the car park from 12pm to 5pm. Local school children will be taking part with members of the public invited as well! Streets Alive will be based around the theme of active transport, encouraging the public to “reclaim their urban spaces”, find fun and engaging alternatives to driving, and enjoy the health benefits of active transport (walking, scootering, and cycling). Some of the fabulous activities and demonstrations include: the Crazy Cycle Circus, King Ramps Skateboarding, walking football, circus skills workshops, Bike-agility, Trishaw rides, pottery, arts and crafts, interactive fitness demonstrations and much more! The day will be sound tracked by music from Keep 106. To close the event, for anyone who still has the energy, there will be a traditional Dorchester Hokey Cokey. https://www.dorchesterchamber.co.uk/dorchester-celebrates-international-car-free-day-with-their-streets-alive-event/ Sustainable transport experts, Beryl and scheme partners BCP Council are celebrating the impact of their e-bike share scheme, after it replaced almost 4,500 private road transport journeys in its first year.
Since being introduced alongside the region’s shared bikes and e-scooters on 26 July 2022, the vehicles have clocked up more than 20,000 journeys across nearly 76,000km. According to industry calculations, this has seen them save well over three tonnes of harmful Carbon Dioxide emissions, the equivalent of almost 1,500 litres of petrol. Research has also shown that, since the e-bikes arrived, riders in BCP are embracing the extra variety. The latest Beryl Annual Rider Report showed that the number of people riding bikes and e-scooters has almost doubled from 29% the previous year to 47% and the number of riders just using bikes has more than halved from 47% the previous year to just 20%. The anniversary coincides with the share scheme surpassing 200,000 unique users since it was first introduced. A LARGE portion of planned active and sustainable travel in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has been cut.
Several major routes along the conurbation will no longer see additional cycle lanes and bus lanes as well as pedestrian improvements under revised and signed off plans. Boundary Road to Redhill Avenue and parts of Ringwood Road running up to Ferndown are amongst the roads no longer included in the plans going forward. Blandford Road from Hamworthy to Upton and Broadway Lane linking up to Parley Lane by Bournemouth Airport have also been axed. The cut is being blamed on the government's recent announcement to no longer allocate additional money to the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) which would cover the rising costs of construction. Rising construction, labour and fuel costs, growing inflation and changes to national design standards for cycling infrastructure mean south east Dorset’s original £102 million cannot cover all the work. Marc Griffin, TCF programme manager for south east Dorset’s Transforming Cities Fund programme, said he is “proud” of what has been achieved so far despite “unforeseen” inflated costs. He added: “With work well underway on all six sustainable travel routes we are pleased to have our revised plans approved by the Department for Transport. There are still a number of active travel schemes in the pipework that will be happening across the conurbation, starting later this year or in 2024. BCP Council and Beryl have won the 2023 Municipal Journal (MJ) Award for the UK’s Best Transport Decarbonisation Project. The national award was announced at the gala event at the Park Plaza in Central London on Friday 23 June, presented by BBC News at Ten anchor, Huw Edwards. The MJ Awards are considered the highest level of recognition in the UK local authority community.
BCP Council and Beryl have won the 2023 Municipal Journal (MJ) Award for the UK’s Best Transport Decarbonisation Project. The national award was announced at the gala event at the Park Plaza in Central London on Friday 23 June, presented by BBC News at Ten anchor, Huw Edwards. The MJ Awards are considered the highest level of recognition in the UK local authority community. In order to reduce congestion carbon emissions and encourage the use of healthy and sustainable forms of transport, BCP Council tendered for a Dockless Bike Share operator for a 5-year term. This contract was awarded to Beryl in 2019. The bicycle hire scheme was introduced to help encourage a modal shift in transport, away from short car and vehicle journeys to more sustainable forms of transport. Congestion in the BCP Council region is particularly high and for example traffic research has shown that around 7000 commuters drive their cars on their own, less than 2km into Bournemouth each day. The scheme is aimed at reducing this congestion and the pollution it creates by offering an alternative, easily accessible and sustainable mode of transport around of area. The scheme has been a great success with demand far exceeding expectation. Almost 198,000 users have undertaken more than 1.55 million journeys since the launch in Summer 2019, covering a distance of over 5.5 million kilometres. Close collaboration between the partners has ensured the delivery of an innovative, safe, well managed scheme which in turn has provided the key outcome of encouraging modal shift away from cars and on to sustainable transport, with almost a quarter of all Beryl journeys replacing a car, van, taxi or motorbike journey. On top of this, 35% of users have returned to cycling after a break and 47% are now cycling more often indicating that the desired long term behavioral change has occurred. Beryl has recently celebrated its four year anniversary as the service provider in the BCP area and its distinctive green bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters are now a familiar site across the region. The hire scheme has grown over the intervening four years with new and innovative forms of transport such as e-scooters and e-bikes being introduced to the hire fleet. Over 188,000 users have undertaking 1.5 million journeys since the launch in June 2019, covering over 5 million kilometres. The main objective of the scheme is to encourage a change in travel mode, away from cars and other vehicles to more sustainable forms of transport, an aim which is being achieved. Using on-app questionnaires at the end of each trip, Beryl reports that 33% of journeys have replaced a motorised vehicle journey. Also, 35% of users have reported returning to cycling and 47% are now cycling more often as a result of using the Beryl hire service. Best in class: Glasgow Prestwick (64g per passenger)
Worst in class: 1. Jersey (JER) – 156g per passenger per km Jersey has a bigger carbon footprint than any other airport in the UK, totalling 156g per passenger per km. In an attempt to tackle this high level of air pollution, Jersey Airport has made plans to alter its flight paths, making the routes more efficient which, in turn, will help to reduce the amount of carbon emissions. 2. Bournemouth (BOH) – 67g per passenger per km With 67g of carbon emissions per passenger per km, Bournemouth Airport is next on our list. Bournemouth Airport has implemented an energy conservation programme in the hope to reduce its carbon footprint, and this has no doubt contributed to this airport’s second-place entry in our list. https://www.bournemouthairport.com/net-zero-2040/ RCA (Regional and City Airports) is committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions from its airport operations by 2040 at the latest - with any remaining emissions to be tackled through investment in carbon removal and storage.We are part of the internationally-recognised Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme, and have worked as part of the industry-led green aviation consortium 2ZERO - a government-backed project pioneering electric hybrid aircraft on regional routes. This saw us host the first English eflight trial from Exeter in 2021. We are now working in collaboration with Cranfield University to develop new initiatives in sustainable aviation practice and technology. As a member of the Sustainable Aviation Programme Board’s initiative to design new airport infrastructure accommodating smart aviation technologies, fuels, and a roadmap of future skill requirements, we are driven by a sustainable green agenda in cooperation with key local stakeholders. PLANS for a new eco-friendly service station and hotel on a 12-acre site near Sturminster Marshall have been submitted.
The scheme, submitted on behalf of MB Wilkes Ltd, would see the services, including a battery storage facility, built on land at Hanbury Green off the A31, also serving the A35 and A350. The scheme would create a new roundabout to the A31 and the Henbury Farm Industrial Estate. Potentially featuring hydrogen fuel services, as well as electric chargers and a traditional filling station, the plans also outline proposals to create a ‘wetland and woodland habitat’. The application says the services could cater for around 50 electric vehicle charging points, as well as a hydrogen charging facility and petrol and diesel fuelling. Parking would also be created for an additional 50 other vehcles, plus 30 for cars towing trailers or caravans, motorhomes and coaches. The site would also boast an amenities building, business centre and a hotel with between 50 and 100 beds. Proposal opposed by Purbeck & Poole Group of CPRE. |
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