The future of a bike-sharing scheme that was scrapped after technical issues has been revealed.

Brighton and Hove City Council has agreed a contract with micromobility provider Beryl to deliver the city’s new e-bike share programme.       

The council announced last month that the current BTN Bikeshare would pause operations on December 31 in preparation for the new scheme’s launch, after problems with Vodafone 3G signal made the bikes difficult or impossible to use.

Bikes will begin to be removed from service from today.

Work is now underway between the council and Beryl to relaunch a “new and improved” scheme next spring, which will include:     

  • At least 60 per cent of the new fleet of bikes will be electric       
  • 312 new pedal-only bikes to replace the existing pedal-only fleet with a further 468 E-bikes to make up a fleet of 780 total.
  • More bike docking stations around the city
  • A range of tariff options for users
  • A new sponsor partnership offer

Councillor Steve Davis, who co-chairs the environment, transport and sustainability committee, said: “It’s very exciting to have a new operator on board. Beryl has a proven track record for delivering and operating cycle hire schemes nationwide and I can’t wait to see the new look fleet, with electric bikes, hit the streets of Brighton and Hove next year.

“Cycle hire is a fantastic way of getting around the city in an easy, active and sustainable way. BTN BikeShare is a community asset we can be very proud of as we enter a new era for the scheme.

“I’d also like to thank the current operator Hourbike for operating the scheme since its launch in 2017. It’s thanks to their hard work, skill and dedication that BTN BikeShare has been such a success story for the city.”

Beryl has delivered affordable bike, e-cargo bike and e-scooter schemes in locations around the country, including Norwich, Watford, Hereford, Bournemouth, the Isle of Wight, Hackney, Greater Manchester, Solent and, most recently, Cornwall.

In September 2020, Beryl became the world’s first provider of a city-wide multimodal smart fleet serving various journey types and needs. 

They also provide technology for the London Santander Bikes and the West Midlands Cycle Hire schemes.

Beryl also designs innovative products to solve every day real problems. Their first product, the Laserlight, was created to tackle city cyclists’ biggest problem, being caught in the blind spot. The core laser technology is integrated into all Beryl schemes as well as bikes in London, Montreal, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Phil Ellis, CEO of Beryl, said: “Our core aim is to remove the barriers to sustainable travel for as many people as possible, encouraging people out of the car by providing them with a sustainable, convenient, reliable, cost-effective and fun alternative.

“We’re very experienced at delivering schemes with local authority partners and we look forward to working closely with Brighton and Hove City Council and with key stakeholders to ensure this scheme provides the best possible service to users.

“Ultimately, by getting more people using two-wheeled transport, we can help reduce congestion and harmful carbon emissions while improving public health and the quality of the region’s air.”