Why Christchurch is left out of e-scooters scheme, as BCP Council extends partnership with Beryl

THE Beryl bikes hire scheme is set to continue for another five years across Christchurch – but e-scooters will still be kept at its borders.

BCP Council has extended its partnership with Beryl until 2028, which will see 800 pedal bikes, 750 e-bikes and 500 e-scooters provided for instant hire at more than 400 parking bays across the area.

The scheme was introduced in 2019, but scooters were kept out of Christchurch, and there’s still no sign of them in the wake of the new agreement.

A spokesperson from BCP Council explained why: “The rental e-scooter scheme in Bournemouth and Poole is one of several Department for Transport (DfT) trials currently running across the country.

“These trial areas are the only places in the UK where the e-scooters can be ridden legally in public, and the government recently announced plans to extend it here until May 2026.

“The zone of operation was agreed with the DfT at the beginning of the trial, with Bournemouth and Poole chosen for their hilly terrain that provides a good test area for e-scooter operation, and Beryl are currently exploring the possibility of increasing the number of e-scooters in circulation across the conurbation.

“We can’t expand the zone during the current trial period but Beryl bikes and e-bikes, which have many of the same advantages as e-scooters, are currently available for use across the whole of the Christchurch area.”

For the first time, there are plans to introduce a handful of innovative e-cargo bikes for local businesses to carry out sustainable deliveries.

As well as reducing traffic congestion across Dorset, the scheme is thought to have helped more people get active and improve air quality by cutting more than 235 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Cllr Andy Hadley, BCP portfolio holder for climate response, environment and energy, said: “As well as providing a reliable service, [Beryl] have gone much further, helping train residents in how to use e-scooters to give them the confidence to ride, regularly assessing the user experience and continuing to focus on how micro mobility can help those with disabilities.

“We look forward to further innovation from them as a key partner in supporting sustainable travel in our area moving forward.”