Norfolk County Council has announced the publication of new research by micromobility operator Beryl, which reveals trends in rider behaviour across the county’s operating area.
The report showed that, as usage for practical reasons grew, car usage declined for 40% of Beryl riders in Norwich – an increase from 25% last year.
Another key trend to come out of the publication was improved integration of the bikes with the area’s wider transport networks.
Transport for Norwich and Beryl won the Shared Mobility Award at the recent CiTTi Awards 2022 for the successful rollout of a multimodal transport fleet in Norwich throughout 2020, which initially offered 225 pedal bikes, 25 e-bikes and 100 e-scooters.
The findings of the Beryl Annual Rider Report, collated using data from 804 riders in Norwich during September 2022, show a sizeable increase in riders connecting Beryl trips with public transport, with 52% being completed this year, compared to 26% in 2021.
What’s more, the report revealed that the average distance of those journeys was less than 2.5km (1.5 miles), which Beryl believes shows the growing importance of bikesharing in first- and last-mile journeys.
Another key finding shows that convenience (34%) and speed (24%) were the two most important reasons for signing up to Beryl, overtaking pleasure, with the number of people citing cost almost doubling from 11% in 2021 to 20% this year.
The report likewise revealed that riding for leisure purposes has dropped from 75% to 62%.
Phil Ellis, CEO and co-founder of Beryl, said: “As the UK’s leading micro-mobility operator, we know from experience how important data and feedback is in understanding our users, identifying trends and ensuring that we’re providing services that are accessible, and work for everyone.
“Our findings this year are reflective of external factors and show that, in line with rising cost of living, people are recognising the value of shared micro-mobility schemes as a more cost-effective, practical and convenient alternative to private vehicle ownership.
“We will continue to use insights like this to guide our data-driven approach, delivering schemes in consultation with communities and key stakeholders as part of an integrated transport network.
“By doing this we can continue to get more people swapping four wheels for two and help reduce carbon emissions and traffic congestion while improving air quality and public health.”
As practical usage grew, so did the number of people using Beryl to commute, which reportedly increased from 31% last year to 51% in 2022.
