Warndon Villages to get new Beryl Bike bay

Councillors had expressed frustration at the lack of bays for the city’s bikeshare scheme in the area.

But at a meeting of Worcester City Council’s environment committee on Tuesday (November 5), officers said a new bay would be installed in the coming weeks.

Two bike bays in the St Nicholas ward have been out of action after being vandalised.

QUESTION: Councillor Andrew Cross (Image: Submitted)

Cllr Sarah Murray had called the lack of a bay in the ward “unacceptable” and Beryl said it was working to deliver new bays to the area.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Cllr Andrew Cross asked: “How soon are we likely to get a new bay in Warndon Villages please? Because we’ve got one bay for approximately 10,000 residents.”

READ MORE: Beryl to install new bays in St Nicholas ward, Worcester

READ MORE: Beryl Bike users 'often don't wear helmets' says councillor

Ruth Corrall, sustainability team leader at the council, said: “We’re aware there’s a gap in the network there, particularly with the bay having to be suspended.

“We have been in discussion with Woodgreen Church about a bay on their land and latest news is, just from today, their trustees are happy with the proposal so the licence should be signed shortly.

LOCATION: Woodgreen Church will host a new bay (Image: Google Maps)

“The bay may not go in immediately because we need a few bays ready to go together - purely for Beryl’s operational reasons in terms of getting a contractor out to paint the bays so it might be a few weeks until the bay is marked.”

She added that old bays will be removed when the new bays are delivered.

READ MORE: City councillor frustrated after St Nicholas bike bay is vandalised

A report put before the committee said more than 22,000 journeys have been made on Beryl Bikes since the scheme was launched in Worcester on June 17.

The council says a total of 62,000km has been travelled, saving an estimated two tonnes of carbon.

“Officers are working with Beryl to enhance the scheme including adding a small number of additional bays and identifying a process for distributing free ride minutes through community groups and social prescribing,” the report said.