A recently published report by Beryl has said that 35% of users have reduced the use of their own cars in favour of using an e-bike or e-scooter. The report surveyed over 3000 people in September 2023 who had signed up to use Beryl and is packed full of interesting findings. One of the standout findings from the island’s data this year is the increasing importance of fun and novelty when deciding to sign up. These are the two most important factors and have increased by 20% and 17% respectively compared to 2022. Convenience is now the third most important factor, having been the most important last year. Beryl has had a positive impact on rider behaviour on the island, with 35% reducing their use of cars and 40% reducing their use of taxis. 54% of riders on the island have used a Beryl vehicle to replace a car, van, motorcycle or taxi journey (either as a driver or a passenger). There has been an encouraging change to the gender split of riders across the island this year, with 10% more female (33%) riders. This is the biggest increase of any of the schemes and coincides with the launch of the Beryl Women’s Tour e-scooter training events this year. Beryl CEO and co-founder, Phil Ellis, said:
“It has been a really positive year for Beryl and the Isle of Wight Council’s e-bike and e-scooter share scheme, with riders embracing the addition of the e-bikes. “We can see from the report that having access to multiple modes is having a really positive impact on rider behaviour, getting more people out of their cars and adopting more sustainable transport habits. “We work really hard to ensure our services are accessible to as wide a range of people as possible, so it’s also really encouraging to see a more equal gender split this year and our services helping those with a disability. “Ultimately, a successful operator is one that not only listens to its riders, but also uses their feedback to shape future delivery and improvement. I promise you that Beryl will continue to do this into 2024 and beyond.”
Riders across the Isle of Wight continue to embrace multiple modes, with 40% riding both e-scooters and e-bikes, compared to 8% that just ride e-bikes. The survey was sent to riders via email and within the Beryl app. Of those who responded across the Island, 88% had signed up and taken at least one ride while 12% had signed up but not yet taken a ride. The survey is undertaken annually to allow Beryl to understand riders’ motivations, as well as their behaviour before, during and after riding our vehicles. You can download the full report here.
