E-Bikes for Hire Arrive in Guildford

Published on: 20 Sep, 2024
Updated on: 26 Sep, 2024

E-bikes in position outside the Friary Centre.

E-bikes for hire have arrived in Guildford.

Two stations were observed on Wednesday, both in North Street – one outside the Friary Centre and one outside the Library. Scores more are planned for the town and surrounding area in the coming weeks and months.

By the end of October there should be 200 bikes with 46 bays across a wider part of the town. It is plannd for a full complement of 300 bikes to be available across 56 bays in spring 2025.

Cllr George Potter

Cllr George Potter (Lib Dem, Burpham) said he was “thrilled” to see the first bikes from the new scheme.

He wrote on NextDoor: “It’s been a long two years of hard work to make this happen, and I’m really looking forward to it being rolled all the way out across the entire town and to Jacobs Well and Shalford over the next few months.

“Launching the scheme was also a manifesto commitment of our Lib Dem administration at GBC, so I’m especially glad to have delivered on that. The startup costs of the scheme have been funded by Guildford Borough Council and the county council, in partnership with the university, but the scheme will be self-financing and should be a real boost to sustainable travel in our town.

Two e-bikes stand ready to be hired outside the Guildford Public Library.

He continued to outline how the hiring and charging process will work. “If anyone’s curious how to ride the bikes you simply get the Beryl app, create an account, then scan the code on a bike to unlock it and start using it – the electric boost kicks in as you start pedalling.

“There’s a £1 fee to unlock a bike, then a charge of a 16p per minute you’re using it, and when you’re done you just return it to a painted bay (there will be a fine for any bikes left outside of the painted bays).

“You can buy bundles of minutes for a discount if you’re a heavy user, but for the typical pay as you go user it will cost £2.60 for a 10 minute journey, £4.20 for a 20 minute journey, £5.80 for a 30 minute journey, etc.”

More details can be found here: https://beryl.cc/scheme/guildford

Map showing current location of e-bike stations in Guildford.

See: Will E-Bike Prices Put People Off?

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