BERYL Bikes will be free to use for all NHS staff for the foreseeable future, it has been announced.

Health workers are now able to access the scheme by signing up on the Beryl app with their NHS email address, which will automatically give them free use for all bay to bay rides within the Bournemouth and Poole service area.

Beryl chief executive officer Phil Ellis said: "As the Covid-19 crisis develops in the UK, we’re aware that many people won’t be able to stay home as they’ll be working to protect and aid the general public.

"We want to ensure these individuals can still be mobile and maintain safe distances from others while travelling to and from their places of work.

"As such, we’ve taken the decision to make Beryl Bikes temporarily free for NHS staff in our operating areas, to help them get around and to say thanks for the important work they’re doing.

”We know the difference a little bit more sun and exercise can make in each of our lives right now, and hope we can make these important journeys, both as safe and as enjoyable as possible”

Beryl has teamed up with BCP Council on the free NHS cycles initiative.

BCP Council transport member Cllr Andy Hadley said: "We’re pleased to support this initiative which will give our colleagues in the NHS a free and flexible transport option.

"This will help to ensure they can continue to deliver an essential and effective service across Bournemouth and Poole.’"

To access free rides, NHS workers simply need to sign up to the app with a valid NHS email address.

This will provide free use of the bikes for all trips ending in a Beryl bays within a 60 minute ride duration.