Watford has celebrated three years since the launch of its bike sharing scheme.

Beryl bikes was launched on March 2, 2020, and the scheme is celebrating its anniversary having recently amassed more than 308,000 journeys across more than 900,000km over three years.

Watford Borough Council said that in the first year 88,891 journeys were taken on the bikes.

Watford Observer: The celebrations kicked off with a cake.The celebrations kicked off with a cake. (Image: Watford Borough Council)

In the second year this increased to 105,172 trips and 113,937 were taken in the third year.

This equates to 38 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions saved, the equivalent of around 2,242 litres of petrol or more than 222.4 flights from London to Edinburgh.

Watford resident, 51-year-old Tanya Bartley, is a regular user of the scheme and often using Beryl bikes or e-bikes up to three times per week.

Tanya claims that her Beryl journeys have replaced less sustainable forms of transport including the car, busses and trains.

The ability to hop on and off a bike with relative ease was the most attractive factor for her.

She said: “Convenience is the biggest factor for me.

“I use the Beryl bikes for everything local, whether I am going shopping, attending an appointment or even taking a relaxing cycle around Watford Town centre or the local park.”

The scheme is a key component in Watford Borough Council’s pledge to become a carbon neutral town with more sustainable travel options.

Watford Observer: Cllr Ian Stotesbury (left) and Mayor Peter Taylor (right) Cllr Ian Stotesbury (left) and Mayor Peter Taylor (right) (Image: Watford Borough Council)

Beryl bikes can be picked up from or dropped off at clearly marked ‘Beryl bays’, which were located and installed in partnership with the council and key stakeholders.

This means that, currently, 83,300 people are a 5 minutes-walk from a bay, representing 86% of the service area's population.

Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor said: “I am pleased to see that our residents have embraced this scheme as a practical and accessible way to travel around Watford, and it is inspiring to see the positive impact it has had on our town’s environmental footprint.

“Our close partnership with Beryl over the past three years we have been able to make great strides towards a cleaner, healthier future for our community here in Watford.”

Beryl CEO Phil Ellis thanked staff for the work they do to ensure the scheme runs smoothly.