Beryl is to pull out of the east Dorset area at the end of next month citing not enough interest in the hire bikes.
Dorset Council say the decision is a commercial one with not enough people using the service.
They came into service in the area in August 2022 as an extension to the scheme run in the BCP Council area.
Said Cllr Jon Andrews, Dorset Council’s Cabinet Member for Place Services: “Dorset Council has been informed by Beryl that they intend to close the east Dorset section of their bike hire service at the end of February.
“This is a commercial decision, as the number of people renting bikes isn’t enough to maintain the service without additional funding. Evidence suggests that, in this particular area, many people are riding their own bikes and therefore wouldn’t choose to rent one, with around 500 people a day using the new cycleways in favourable conditions.
“We are currently exploring options to keep the service in some form, including looking at whether local businesses are interested in subsidising a similar local scheme. We will also continue to work with Beryl on their well-received Dorchester, Weymouth, and Portland bike-hire scheme.
“Dorset Council remains committed to the development of active travel options in the Ferndown, West Parley, Colehill, and Wimborne area. Sustainable travel remains a top priority for us as we continue to respond to the climate and nature crisis in Dorset.”
Ward councillor for the area, Ray Bryan, who was highways and climate portfolio holder when the bikes were introduced said this week he was disappointed by Beryl’s decision especially after the council investment in secure cycle routes in the area.
The East Dorset scheme had 122 bikes initially with average distance for each journey of 3.5km, taking an average of 21 minutes, according to figures released after a year of the scheme.
Said Beryl CEO and co-founder, Phil Ellis, in 2023: “South east Dorset has some excellent local cycling infrastructure that has dovetailed well with the arrival of our bike share scheme, undoubtedly helping to break down the barriers to active travel for more people in the area.
Cllr Bryan told the Bournemouth Echo at the time: “Dorset Council has ambitious targets for carbon emission reduction over the coming years, so it makes sense to work with Beryl to provide an easy way for our residents to leave their vehicles at home and hop on a bike.
“The scheme also aligns with our goal of creating stronger and healthier communities and is supported by our current work on active travel infrastructure in East Dorset.”
The scheme has 43 bays across Wimborne, Colehill, West Parley, West Moors and Ferndown and was initially funded through south east Dorset’s Community Infrastructure Levy, a fund which receives payments from developers to benefit the wider community.