A fleet of e-bikes are to be rolled out in Norwich from today by London-based micromobility provider Beryl.
Having already supplied pedal bikes to the city earlier this year via the Transport for Norwich Partnership, Beryl will now introduce 25 of its pedal-assist e-bikes. Riders in Norwich will be able to find and hire the vehicles from today, with the number of bikes growing alongside the scheme throughout the year.
Funded through the UK government’s Transforming Cities programme, the e-bikes are being launched to support mid- to long-length journeys and commutes that could be taken by two wheels, but are often made by private or public motor vehicles.
Councillor Martin Wilby, chair of the Transforming Cities joint committee and Norfolk County Council’s cabinet member for highways and infrastructure, said: “We are delighted with the popularity of the scheme so far and as we look to a greener and more sustainable future in terms of travel, the new e-bikes are a fantastic addition to our current offer, which will further support our long-term strategy to keep people healthy and reduce pollution across the city.”
The e-bikes will be available to hire through two payment choices of Pay-As-You-Ride (£1.50 unlock fee + 10p per minute) or Minute Bundles (£1.50 unlock fee and bundles priced at 5p per minute, starting at 100 minutes for £5).
They can be hired through the Beryl app and be picked up and dropped off in marked ‘Beryl Bays’, which are visible both in-app and on-street. According to Beryl, more bays are being implemented to enable wider access and ease of use across the city.
The e-bikes can be differentiated from the pedal bikes through an electrified symbol that will be visible on the bike and bay icons in-app. The remaining range will also be displayed in-app ahead of hiring the bike so riders are able to confirm the battery will last throughout their journey.
Beryl’s e-bikes have a centre mount pedal assist, ensuring a lower centre of gravity in the bike. Electric power is provided through pedal assist, meaning the rider can adjust the speed of the bike through the power in their pedalling.
The electric assist is capped at a max speed of 15.5mph (24.9km/h) in accordance with UK law. A local operations team will manage all on-street maintenance and use a battery swapping process to ensure the e-bikes are charged and ready for use.
