City port up for coveted award
it’s also cost effective when compared to private vehicle use, removing the cost of petrol, parking, tax, insurance, maintenance and MOT.
“Portsmouth is a great city for cycling – it’s flat and compact and has some great coastal scenery – so a twowheeled commute is a great way to take in the views and the fresh air on the way to or from work.
“With the warmer weather and longer days combined with this latest offer, now is the perfect time to give it a go.”
The Beryl Annual Rider Report 2023 – a survey of people that had signed up to use Beryl undertaken in summer 2023 – showed that more than half (52%) of riders asked in Portsmouth used Beryl to commute.
The report showed that Beryl had encouraged more sustainable transport habits across the city, with 62% of riders saying they had cycled more or much more often and 38% saying they had used private cars less often since using Beryl.
Since launching, the Beryl Bikes by Breeze scheme has generated nearly 60,000 journeys across Portsmouth, covering nearly 93,000 miles.
Those journeys have generated nearly 18,000 hours of physical activity and saved over three tonnes of carbon emissions, according to industry calculations. Riders can hire a bike through the Beryl app and Breeze, the new transport super-app developed by Solent Transport.
Both the Beryl and Breeze apps are available for download on the App Store for IOS and the Google Play Store for Android users.
Once registered, you can use the apps to simply pick up and drop off bikes at secure parking places close to where you live and work.
For more information, visit beryl.cc/scheme/ portsmouth
Portsmouth International Port
Portsmouth International Port, left, has again been recognised for its groundbreaking sustainability work, with the site shortlisted for a Sailawaze award.
The awards, which are in their first year, set out to highlight the best in the cruise industry and are based on business initiatives to improve customer experience. All winners are voted for by the public.
A port spokesperson said: “We are genuinely excited to have been shortlisted for a Sailawaze award, and to be the only port nominated in the sustainability category.
“Being voted for by the public demonstrates our value to the city and we would be very grateful to anyone who takes the time to vote. Sharing the stage for high-profile awards puts a spotlight on Portsmouth and further boosts our position in the industry and the port’s growth.”
You can vote for Portsmouth International Port at https://sailawaze. com/uk/excellenceawards-voting/ under the sustainability category. Voting closes on Friday, May 10.
Sustainability projects across the port include a cutting-edge solar panel installation which provides 35% of the site’s electricity, a carbon neutral terminal boasting seawater technology to heat and cool the building and living walls to purify the air and shore power facilities.
On-site battery storage currently powers plug-in facilities for smaller ships, with funding now secured to make this available across Portsmouth’s three main berths. The project, titled
Sea Change, has the potential to revolutionise the UK maritime sector.