Beryl is offering free access and use of its e-Scooters across the Isle of Wight tomorrow (Wednesday) in support of this year’s Car Free Day.
Riders will be able to access up to 15 mins for free with 1 redemption per rider, in addition to having the £1.50 unlock fee waived.
The Isle of Wight trial has seen a total of 213,000km travelled across 57,000 journeys since launching in November 2020. The result is a modal shift from cars of over 19%, clearly demonstrating the positive impact the scheme is having in reducing the number of cars on the road within the area.
Car Free Day is a global initiative introduced to reduce the reliance on motorised vehicles. By offering free access and use of its micro-mobility vehicles, Beryl hopes more people will be able to fully experience the benefits of using safe, trusted and environmentally friendly alternative modes of transport.
Beryl CEO, Phil Ellis, said:
“Car Free Day is an important moment in the year to continue building awareness around the need for greater sustainable, affordable and convenient travel solutions, putting people, the needs of local communities and the environment first.
“In support of this year’s Car Free Day, we’re offering more people the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of our e-scooters.
“Whether travelling using one of Beryl’s e-scooters, walking or using any other alternative method, we hope to see as many people as possible enjoying safe, sustainable travel.”
Article continues below this advertisement
Beryl encourages safe and responsible riding of all its devices. Riders must be 16 or over and hold a UK-valid provisional or full driving licence to ride e-scooters.
I haven seen any drop in traffic in the Ryde area. I fact I have only seen a handful of people on them, doubt wether they would use a car anyway.
Anyone know how many Beryl Scooters are on the island?
Too many blooming nuisance
Nowhere near enough.
Maybe if we had the required numbers of police to enforce proper behaviour of our roads by all users, these scooters would fit in. But with the governments of all sides spending less and less of our tax money on us so they can give more to their mates. Well I’m sad to say these scooters are incompatible with safety. So many times racing down the paths, ridden two up. Ridden in parks and around pay grounds and by school children.
As these are mostly used by kids and usually on the pavement, I can’t see that making them free or otherwise will have any impact on the number of cars on the road.
“The result is a modal shift from cars of over 19%”. Hogwash! The mileage travelled does not demonstrate a move away from car journeys, only how many miles were travelled on scooters – probably just for the fun of it.
Exactly. Nobody knows nor can know how many car journeys were displaced. But Beryl and IW Council will claim outlandish statistics regardless.
Any time now Cllr Ward will pop up and tell us all how he has single-handedly reduced the Island’s carbon footprint.
Well said. Damn lies and statistics. A story which argues scooters replace walking, and thus reduces exercise, doesn’t have the same ring to it does it!
They should be banned , i have had one of these scooters/rider’s thinking they are for stunts jumping off the kerb’s into on coming traffic is not wise. More of a nuisance due to their riders using them inappropriately
I can see these could be advantageous to some people, but until Beryl, the Council and the Police start to deal with the many that use pavements, 2 up, none licence holders and many other offences, they will always be a nuisance to the general public.
With so many shops selling e scooters why would you want to hire one? No one is monitoring the usage by underage people/ non licence holders etc. so perhaps people consider action from the Police is a risk worth taking. I’d rather buy an ebike, much less hassle, the only downside is storing it at home.
By all means use these, but use them sensibly and don’t cut me up on my motorcycle, otherwise I will continue to punch the rider in the arm and run them off the road as I pass.
15 mins? Is that all? Haha not very long atall
I thought you had to be over 18 to use these, I saw 2 kids on one yesterday, they looked about 14 yrs of age. At least they were in the road on them though, unlike most kids and many adults who ride their bikes on the pavement, so giving a bad name to responsible bike riders. If the escooters are used as they are meant to be, shouldn’t be a problem, it’s a shame there’s always the idiots that makes the rest look bad too in most observers’ minds.