Beryl, the e-Scooter hire provider on the Isle of Wight, has expanded its scheme to both East Cowes and Cowes, as well as now allowing Islanders to travel between Ryde and Newport.
e-Scooters are available to hire through the free Beryl app and can be picked up and dropped off in marked ‘Beryl Bays’.
The scheme initially launched in Newport and expanded to Ryde just before Christmas. Now, residents and visitors to both East Cowes and Cowes can hop on a Beryl scooter at any time of the day or night.
With more towns now involved in the Government-approved trial, corridors between each town have been opened up meaning Islanders are no longer confined to just 1 area. Beryl users can, for the first time, travel from Seaview right through to Carisbrooke by using the main road between Ryde and Newport. Riders can also travel in and out of both East Cowes and Cowes to Newport, as indicated on the map.
Beryl e-Scooters are capped at a top speed of 12.5mph and in adherence with the law are only allowed on the road, not on pavements. ‘Out of zone’ technology is being utilised which means when a scooter exits a pre-defined zone it will gradually drop to just 3mph. Riders will receive a notification via the Beryl App where they can check the scheme parameters.
More information on Beryl’s out of zone area on the Isle of Wight can be found at https://help-bikes.beryl.cc/en/articles/4807574-isle-of-wight-what-happens-if-i-go-out-of-zone.
Users that park a hired e-Scooter outside of a Beryl Bay will be charged a £10 convenience fee, while users that lock a Beryl e-Scooter outside of the Isle of Wight’s operating zone will be charged £25. This fee covers operational costs associated with returning vehicles back to a bay for another use to ride.
Well, if they survive there, they will anywhere I guess. Trial by fire.
Must be tempting though, to leave the car at home, and feel refreshed with rain and wind pelting down your neck, soaked to the skin, with anything you need for work all stuffed into plastic bags in a rucksack.
Doubt they will be around for long once any funding is pulled.
Mr Jason used to say, ‘easiest thing in the world to spend (waste) someone else’s money’.
Still they may slow the water flow in the Medina a little to ease bank erosion.
they will be well used and popular in summer – just hope people don’t get drunk, rent them out and drive them all over the beach etc.
And two up on the pavement like they do in Ryde.
They are not “funded” by anyone. Beryl provides the scooters and scheme at their cost.
Interesting, bus fare from Newport to Carvel Lane, Cowes for Red Jet is £3.50 and takes on average 18 minutes.
E scooter unlock is £1.50, and for 18 mins is £1.80 which is £3.30. That is assuming you can keep up with a bus that can go faster than 12.5mph.
So, what would you choose to use?
For me, bus wins hands down.
Is it for when the floating bridge brakes down you can hire a scooter to ride round. They will do a roaring trade for that.
Think they are going to fit them with waterwings so you can ride across.
Who’s liable insurance wise if the rider causes an accident ?
Are they actually insured by the council?
They are insured and you need a full driving licence to hire one of these death traps, as if our casualty dept isnt busy enough as it is that they put more of these contraptions on the street.
@White top- you only need a provisional licence, not a full one.
Hi martin.
You are correct mate it can be a provisional or full, be interesting to see somebody on a provisional though with L plates on the front and back of their coat lol.
I’ve seen loads of kids using them .how are they getting round the licence ?
Probably hired by somebody with a licence or stolen take your pick.
Bring them to Shanklin I’ll give them ago.
Stupidity has no limits.
Let’s face it, they’re just going to be a complete nuisance on the already overcrowded roads.
They already are!
No indicators, no brake lights, riders with no helmets or safety gear.
How many have you seen being used according to the highway code?
I also wonder what insurance you do actually get when you hire one.
So, no worse than bicycles then.
there are lights on them – saw to racing down union street in ryde.
it is a scooter – you do not have indicators on bikes.
if people wish to risk falling off and hitting their heads without a helmet on, up to them – society is not their parent.
Already seen one on the pavements on Pan and the rider didn’t look old enough to get a provisional licence either. Also have seen a non-Beryl one many times after dark riding the pavements and footpaths at some speed.
Most of the people I have seen on them have been youngsters who look about 14 years old. We all know how much sense they’ve got!! But somebody must be hiring these things for them
You can buy them and this is one of the problems with kids using them as it’s not illegal to sell them unfortunately.
the e-Scooter hire provider on the Isle of Wight. Ok let’s have a look at this.so what’s it all about.how do the batteries get charged. How do they get changed by a man in a van puffing out a load of soot. Parking on bends and parking on Double yellow lines. E scooter. I don’t think so.
The question isn’t about how they get charged, try reading the questions already asked and that will give you a clue.
I don’t think you getting what I’m talking about. Im not in favour.
Maybe you could have made it a bit clearer what your trying to say as it comes across of you sounding very pro for them.
I passed The prison a little while ago heading towards Cowes and on the left there were 3, 1 standing the other 2 dumped on the pavement on their side so how does that help a blind person, people with pushchairs and mobility scooters etc, E Scooters, YES I KNOW SO.
I quite agree , there’s a blind man who shops at a corner shop near me and I’ve seen these scooters parked across the pavement , so dangerous .also they don’t make much sound when they are on the road and he relies on his hearing when crossing the road
Why do we provide more and more idiot chariots for these people.Lady riding one in Ryde with a child crouched on it .The child was probably about 7 or 8 .So dangerous
Perfect little runabouts for a click and collect weed business.
I think e-scoots are the least of our worries on the road, every time I negotiate a mini roundabout it’s a near death experience, which bit of give way to the right is so hard to understand???
Possibly the bit about give way to vehicles already on the roundabout AND vehicles approaching from the right.
I have twice been close-shaved by scooter riders recently, both on pavements. It was a shock for me each time – I imagine the riders think they’re being careful and know I won’t be harmed by them. But I shouldn’t have to put up with the shock. Someone may trip and fall when thay are suddenly taken by surprise. Plus the pedestrian may suddenly change their course, because they think it’s safe to, not realising it’s taking them into the path of an oncoming scooter.
I have more problems with bicycles. Either people old enough to cycle on the road flying along pavements (and before you say it not dangerous busy roads) that is until it goes dark then they seem to migrate on to the roads with no lights often in dark clothing and dare I stereotype usually hoods. On a 15 minute drive guaranteed to see at least a couple. The police must have bad eye sight as fixed penalty notices are ideal for such blatant offences but are never given. Might not sound like a major problem but one fatality could easily ruin many peoples lifes. A drivers life messed up because of some thoughtless twit.
are they able to travel on water (east to west cowes )now that would be worth trying just a thought
Everyone is having a meltdown because we have something different on the island. It’s called technology and progression, just like everyone will be driving electric cars in 10 years or using electric flying taxis
Agreed. The vast majority of the Island couldn’t give a flying f**k either way about these scooters, but just get the usual dry old serial complainers about everything on here blah blaing on. You would think it was 1950 again, or maybe 1850…….
What are you talking about? I’m in favour of electric cars, and against anyone riding noiseless scooters on pavements.