A COUNCILLOR said it was “entirely predictable” that electric bikes from a new hire scheme were going to be damaged and abandoned.
The LNER Bradford Beryl Bikes scheme launched last Tuesday, allowing people to hire e-bikes from various locations across the city and return them to other locations.
The initiative is run by Beryl – which operates similarly in Leeds and Manchester – and is sponsored by LNER, with funding mainly coming from the operator, as well as Bradford Council contributing £800,000 of Clean Air Zone revenue to help set up the scheme.
But less than a week after the launch, pictures have emerged online of a number of the bikes that have been abandoned away from docking stations and vandalised.
Councillor Sirferaz Saddiq (Independents, Great Horton) posted several photos on social media of abandoned bikes, including one that seemed to have been dumped on the floor and another that looked to have had the LNER branding removed.
The councillor said he is “deeply concerned” to see “yet more evidence” that the £800,000 investment from the council “has not delivered the improvements residents were promised”.
Councillor Brendan Stubbs (Lib Dem, Eccleshill) reported to Beryl that a bike had been abandoned in woods near the park in Windhill Old Road on Friday.
It looked like the front wheel had been detached, and part of the back wheel was damaged.
Cllr Stubbs said: “It’s incredibly disappointing.
“We’ve had them less than a week and already some people are treating them disgracefully.
“It’s sad to see them being broken and abandoned in various parts of the city.”
He added that the bikes are there to help people get around “and it’s simply a thing that you should treat all property with respect”.
The launch of the Beryl Bikes in Bradford last Tuesday (March 10) (Image: Telegraph & Argus)
Bradford Council said it is aware of a “small number of incidents involving vandalism” of the bikes and is working closely with Beryl and policing teams to “address these issues as a priority”.
This includes increasing monitoring at key locations, reviewing bike deployment and supporting enforcement activity where unsafe or criminal behaviour is identified.
Beryl has also said that incidents like this can occur in the early stage of a new scheme.
But a spokesperson for Beryl said, “our experience in other UK cities shows that as the service becomes established, vandalism decreases and the bikes quickly become a valued part of the community, used daily by residents, commuters and visitors.”
Cllr Saddiq said: “We are now seeing bikes abandoned, damaged, and left in inappropriate places, which was entirely predictable given the lack of proper planning and understanding of local conditions.
“Investment in cleaner transport and better infrastructure is important, but it must be done in a way that represents value for money and reflects the reality on the ground.
“This is not the first time the Labour administration at Bradford Council has pushed ahead with costly projects without properly listening to residents, while at the same time asking taxpayers to pay more every year.
“People expect their money to be spent wisely, especially when essential services are under pressure.”
An empty hub in Bradford city centre on Monday, March 16 (Image: Telegraph & Argus)
Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “The investment from the Clean Air Zone is part of our sustainability commitment towards transport and mobility and it has a positive impact to improve air quality.
“I know the experience has been similar in other cities where it’s been introduced too, but it is a sad situation that a minority of individuals think that damaging these bikes is acceptable when clearly is not, it is a thoughtless selfish and reckless act that has been carried out and is not acceptable nor will it be tolerated.”
A spokesperson for Bradford Council added: “The LNER Bradford Beryl bike scheme plays an important role in promoting safe, sustainable travel for residents and visitors.
“The vast majority of users treat the bikes responsibly, and we do not want the actions of a small number of individuals to undermine the scheme.
“Its success relies on everyone treating the bikes and parking bays with respect.
“These bikes are a shared community asset and looking after them helps ensure the scheme can grow and remain available to all.”
Cllr Stubbs said: “It’s easy to tear things down and say that it will never work here, but why would it not work here.
“There’s plenty of places that are pedestrianised so people can cycle in town, even for five or 10 minutes, it’s extra physical activity and that’s encouraging for everyone.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing, so those people that can afford to use them and want to, should not have to suffer because there are a bunch of people that are ready to abuse them.”
One bike at a hub in Bradford city centre on Monday, March 16 (Image: Telegraph & Argus)
The bikes cannot be unlocked unless a user has downloaded the Beryl app, created an account with personal details, added a valid payment method and agreed to Beryl’s terms and conditions.
They are also fitted with GPS tracking and strengthened locks.
This means if a bike isn’t returned to a bay, riders can be charged an additional fee and may also be blocked from using the bikes in the future.
A bike left outside a Beryl Bay incurs a £10 fee, and £20 if it is left outside the operating zone.
Bikes not returned to the zone within 24 hours incur an additional £80, and any bike left unlocked results in a £30 fee for the team to secure it.
Beryl provides an on-street team to maintain the bikes, including changing batteries and carrying out mechanical servicing, but the team is relying on the local community to “act as the eyes and ears of the project by reporting any issues or antisocial behaviour”, according to the Bradford Council spokesperson.
A spokesperson for Beryl said: “We take misuse of our bikes seriously and are actively addressing incidents by fining users where appropriate and working closely with the police, while our local team is out daily recovering bikes and keeping the scheme tidy so that it remains available for the vast majority of people who want to use it responsibly.”
