The Belfast Bikes scheme has been given a new lease of life with the introduction of new e-bikes and a new operator, Beryl.

At a launch event at City Quays Gardens today, Wednesday, 17 September, the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly, officially unveiled a fleet of 100 new electric bikes, which are now available alongside an initial 150 pedal bikes.

The new e-bikes were made possible by £500,000 in funding from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI). A further 300 pedal bikes will be introduced later this year, bringing the total fleet to 400. All 60 of the existing docking stations will remain in their current locations.

Lord Mayor Councillor Tracy Kelly said the new e-bikes would "breathe new life into the scheme" and attract new users who might not have considered using a traditional bicycle. She added that the investment supports the city's ambition to become a better connected, low-carbon, and climate-resilient city.

Beryl is the UK’s leading shared sustainable transport provider, operating 17 bike and e-bike hire schemes across the country. According to Beryl CEO Phil Ellis, the new fleet offers Belfast residents and visitors a more convenient and sustainable way to travel, helping to reduce congestion and improve air quality.

Users can access the new bikes by downloading the Beryl app and will benefit from a new pay-as-you-go pricing model with an unlock fee and per-minute charges. The pedal bikes cost 7p per minute with a 50p unlock fee, while the e-bikes cost 14p per minute with a £1 unlock fee. Discounted minute bundles and student discounts are also available.

To access the new bike fleet, users must download the Beryl app - available for both iOS and Android - with rides of the upgraded fleet officially starting yesterday (Wednesday 17 September).

More information on the new bikes, including tariffs and the sign-up process, will also be available on the Belfast Bikes website - belfastbikes.co.uk

Further details on Beryl are available at beryl.cc