A POPULAR electric bike scheme has been extended to St Columb Minor after a bit of back-pedalling.

The E-bike scheme, operated by Beryl Bikes following a grant from the Department for Transport, has erected a station outside the car park at the Reaction Ground.

St Columb Minor Cornwall councillor John Fitter and St Columb Minor Residents Association had appealed for the village to be included in the scheme following anger that it had been left off.

The E-bike station at St Columb Minor (Picture:Warren Wilkins) ( )

Residents and visitors are now able to pick up or drop off an E-bike outside the Recreation Ground, which makes it quicker to get in and out of town along the Henver Road cycle lane.

E-bike stations have already been installed across the town and outlying areas including the Piazza, Pentire, Porth, Treloggan and Trenance Valley.

A station has also been erected at Hendra Holiday Park since its launch in Newquay.

Cllr Fitter would now like to see an E-bike station installed near St Columb Minor Church so that people visiting or living in the bottom end of the village can take advantage of the scheme.

Cllr Fitter said: “I made the request for a Beryl Bike stand in St Columb Minor because I was angry that once again the village missed out.

“I received a favourable reaction from the town clerk and Cornwall Highways and a Beryl Bike stand is now in place.

“They accepted that St Columb had been left out in the initial discussions even though the village is an integral part of Newquay.

“They were even talking about extending the Beryl Bike scheme out to Nansledan and at the same time totally ignoring St Columb Minor.”

The E-bike station outside Newquay Train Station is in the top 10 busiest in the country.

The public can book the bikes through an app or phone if necessary.

Beryl Bikes are a nationally recognised operator of E-bike schemes, which has launched the scheme in various locations around the country and in Cornwall including St Austell, Falmouth and Penzance.

The E-Bike initiative will be operated for an initial period of five years with options to extend the scheme further.