A major piece of Beryl rider research has unearthed a number of interesting new trends on the Isle of Wight, including greater integration with wider transport networks and a decline in private vehicle use.
The findings of the Beryl Annual Rider Report, obtained from 138 riders across the Isle of Wight in September 2022, were unveiled on Thursday.
One of the standout findings from the data found here on the Island is a huge increase in riders connecting their Beryl trips with public transport, with 69% compared to just 15% in 2021. The average distance of those journeys is less than 2.5km, showing the increasing importance of bike-share as an option for the 1st and last-mile journeys
Another key finding shows that practicality has overtaken pleasure, with convenience (32%) now the most common reason for people signing up. Novelty/trying new things was the biggest reason in 2021 but has more than halved from 49% in 2021 to just 24% this year. The cost has doubled in importance this year to 20%.
As usage for practical purposes grows, car usage decreases, with 44% of all riders stating that they have reduced their car usage since trying Beryl e-scooters – an increase from just 32% last year.
Councillor Phil Jordan, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Highways PFI and Transport said:
“When the Beryl e-scooter trial launched on the Island two years ago, many did consider the idea a novelty.
“I am delighted to see a shift in how e-scooters are being integrated into everyday activities and especially as part of an overall journey which will benefit our environment and our aspirations to promote sustainable travel modes.
Article continues below this advertisement “With the recent introduction of e-bikes, I hope users will equally embrace them and help create a more sustainable and eco-friendly transport system on the Island.”
Other findings further demonstrate the increased demand for practicality, with the number of people using Beryl to commute almost doubling from 23% last year to 43% this year. Other practical factors such as using Beryl for errands (+15% from 17%), shopping (+7% from 15%) and education/school run (+5%) have also increased.
The Beryl e-scooter trial on the Island is a Department for Transport-sanctioned trial funded by Solent Transport as part of the Solent Future Transport Zone.
The full report can be downloaded here.
They’re great, only issue is more management needed in the distribution of vehicles throughout the day. In London, bikes are moved around to hotspots, I’ve often found during busy commuter periods, scooters are unavailable around the areas such as bus station that you would need them.
Hopefully more of them, and more dedicated bike lanes to ride them in safely!
YOU then wobble about in the freezing cold and rain, whilst the top Councillors and better people swish by in a fully heated luxury car.
ALL you are doing, is Just what they want, making more room on the road for them.
They are the ones preaching to save the planet, yet the very ones living in huge homes, driving huge cars, having their house heated to the max, hot tubs, etc etc.
YOU think you are making a ‘difference’ you are ruining your life to give a better one to the liars and greedy who ‘tell’ you what to do and think.
Think and ‘see’ for yourself.
100%perfect and correct reply
I ride a bike for convenience and because I like it, helping the planet is just a tiny bit of an add-on.
I know Britain is car-dependant/obsessed but come on: cars are not a silver bullet. Sometimes you want to get fresh air, double-whammy of commute and exercise, enjoy the feeling of a ride, whatever. Plus, not everyone even can drive a car nor does everyone enjoy sitting inside one. It’s not a requirement.
Amazing how reaction to someone enjoying a bike is “oh no, you must have been brainwashed away from our true car religion, it’s impossible for people to actually enjoy riding a bike!” LOL.
(Also this is south of UK. It doesn’t get cold here. Kids in Finland ride bikes to school in their winter and have an absolute blast.)
100% perfect and correct reply
That was totally uncalled for. I applaud him for making such a point. Truly I tell YOU, COUNCILLORS HAVE BEEN DOING THAT LONG BEFORE BEYRL CAME ALONG. what YOU JUST DID HAS MADE ME SICK and 18 people agreed with you. Good for you Sam, there are other ways to out the finger up at the rich, and I’d start with this toff just here
Beryl will only release the ‘Good’ research figures, it is all a little one sided, the only people policing this project are Beryl themselves and if you report any missuse how far does it get?
We have only seen one or two incidents reported such as drink driving of a scooter, never any reports on how many have been ridden under age, two up, along pavements, the wrong way in one way streets and pedestrian precincts, even though the instructions are clearly labeled on the machines.
A large amount of incidents go unreported as a lot of the public do not know who or how to report them, and if they do will anything actually be done?
Spot on, the Council need to get real and enforce the correct use of the scooters or terminate the contract, surely if no effort is made to ensure it is operated within the law then they have the right to terminate it.
You only need to read read these comments to get the true picture of this scheme – remember ” propaganda all is phony ” ( sic ). – ( Bob Dylan 1965 )
As the saying goes “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.”How can anyone believe these figures from Beryl when they only have their business at heart.
I know that dura lex, sed lex but said lex can always be changed so I wonder what’s the percentage, and levels of fatality, of accidents with scooters driven by those underage drivers? If it’s lower than actual car accidents on the island perhaps it’d make sense to allow more people to drive it freely, even younger ones. (Or alternatively: ban cars ;))
Also there’s plenty of research showing that “one way street” restriction are counterproductive when applied to bikes and scooters: Netherlands are removing them for non-cars, adding safety by introducing infrastructure that slows down cars in those areas, allowing non-cars go either way.
I expect none of the 138 surveyed were kids, so only peddling half the story really.
Yet still nothing said about the amount of underage users and how many ride two up ?? No doubt they got these numbers from on line checks.. so an underage person is not going to state they are using it for fun with their partner/friend onboard…etc..
What’s the problem with underage riders? Other than “the current law we have says it’s not OK” though we can change said law at any time so that’s a moot point.
Are there any statistics showing those underage scooter drivers cause more accidents (and more fatal ones) than proper-age car drivers per capita user? Or what’s the problem?
What a load of Rubbish
I have only seen them whizzing around the Island on Pavements,
driving towards oncoming vehicles and NO one is wearing safety Helmets
They are a utter disaster, no one policies them.
Unless the Island build cycle lanes / scooter lanes they should not be allowed.
to be used.
Sadly Health and safety does not exist on the Island.
IW Council let persons park on pavements too!
The image at the top of the article is typical of all commercial public relations shots. Very misleading.
In reality I have never seen an e-scooter rider with a safety helmet ( should be compulsory ), quite often they are ridden on pavements which is illegal. Many are ridden by clearly underage or intoxicated riders – both illegal. Some are ridden two-up which is also illegal.
Believe it or not i am in favour of e-scooters, but those who profit , like Beryl, have a duty of care to ensure that they are ridden within the law and do not put riders & others at risk. There appears to be no such acceptance of responsibility by Beryl or the Council, of the need to have staff “policing” users of the service.Police are too busy to do this
The drunks vehicle of choice and some youngsters wanting play dare with Law abiding road users .. Cllr Jordan all future accidents should be on your conscience … but I doubt you care .. as the first responders have to pick up the casualties .. these things, in the wrong hands are lethal .. more scrutiny before using is needed ..
I am waiting to see one upside down to a field with five police cars and three ambulances in attendance.
The only people I have seen on them are underage teenie.
I don’t think I have ever read such a complete load of bs in my life. Who are they trying to kid?
BERYL SCOOTERS ON THE ISLAND MOSTLY USED ON THE PAVEMENTS
Instead of riding them on… all that world-class safe cycling infrastructure we have?
—signed: person who can’t even beg council to get a pavement done to walk safely to buy a pint of milk, welcome to the 21st century UK where car is your god and you’re just a piece of unworthy meat if you’re outside of it :DDD
We should round them all up one night and give them the swim they deserve.
The usual ignorant mindless repetition of all the incorrect tropes are here. As ever, haters are always gonna hate. Get over yourselves and try and be part of the 21st century. Tho with the IOW average IQ being significantly below the national median……….
We can all play catchphrase. ‘Say what you see’. And this is what we see. Get over yourself.
Someone denouncing ‘haters’ then cheaply demonstrating his hate for what he claims to be the lower-than-average IOW IQ? Interesting. And in what sense are you using the word ‘trope’, Plato? I know it’s a trendy word for superior intellects, but are you sure you’ve got it right? Anyway, what’s so 21st Century about electric scooters? We’ve had two-wheeled electrical conveyances since the 1990s. They’re virtually cost-free to run and the large wheels make them much, much safer than scooters. They’re called e-bikes. PS Are you sure you want to identify yourself with Plato, or could it be you have not actually read the Republic? Just asking.
This story is rubbish, average age of riders on island around 14yrs,often two up. Yes we all seen a reduction in traffic queues as so many using scooters and public transport -Not. But like reviews of products on Facebook/ eBay all so true and accurate. Gov est 421 seriously injured and 1,003 slightly injured in 2021 in UK on scooters. Council have to take responsibility for injuries.
Most of those scooter accidents were the illegal not in hire ones. So hardly a beryl issue. And how many accidents were there in 2021 for cars, busses, motorcycles, bicycles, prams, jaywalkers. The scooter number is miniscule in comparison. But whatever – haters gonna hate……..
Excuse me Plato… how many underage car drivers do you see… ???
Errr, but the fact that car drivers are proper-age makes Plato’s argument even more valid?
Assuming that Plato’s argument is that underage riders on scooters make less accidents, and less fatal ones, than proper-age car drivers, it is a win for scooters.
Stupid comment because you are not taking into account that there are millions of cars on the road compared to how many scooters? A few hundred? A few thousand? And where is the evidence for your claim that most of the scooter accidents were on privately owned ones?
Just an “inconvenience”, often used illegally and a danger to pedestrians.
What a pile of dross, most of the riders we see are underage and very often riding 2 up usually on the pavements, if you do report it to beryl all you get is a computer generated pithy reply and no action is ever taken.
The police need to crack down on illegal riders and destroy their scooters whilst retailers such as halfords should be banned from selling them.
I live near a road that says “slow” on it but drivers often don’t slow down. It is surely more risky and unsafe than an underage rider so… if police was so tough you’d see like 100 cars destroyed every day
The word “slow” painted on a road is purely advisory, it is not an order or command. Therefore, if a driver chose not to slow down, probably because they were already driving sensibly, they are not breaking any law. So no, you would not see any cars destroyed.
Must be a good earner all these scooters, otherwise they would have pulled the service by now.
Someone is riding them and I certainly have not heard of all the accidents that island people say they are causing..