Category: transport

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GwyrddNi supports zero-emission cars in your communities.

Our clubs offer a new form of accessible and affordable transport that is good for the environment, and brings communities together.”

— Tom Simone, Lead Community Officer TrydaNi

Are you ready to recharge the way you travel?

TrydaNi offers a modern, green, and exceptionally convenient way to travel without polluting the environment or emptying your wallet. As one of Wales’ most exciting initiatives, with partnerships across Europe, TrydaNi provides electric car services for communities throughout Wales — including our own communities in Gwynedd! This is your opportunity to join a greener, cheaper, and more comfortable way of travelling.

As part of the Ogwen Valley Climate Action Plan, one of GwyrddNi’s important actions was to secure green transport within communities, encouraging less use of private cars and creating opportunities to use community vehicles. Working together with TrydaNi enables us to put this action into practice and provide public and active transport that is easy to use while reducing carbon emissions. Joining TrydaNi is a great opportunity to continue developing GwyrddNi’s local initiatives and an excellent way to help ensure a clean and sustainable future in your communities.

As a small team of passionate workers, TrydaNi continues to grow across Wales, and the number of people joining is increasing significantly. Will you join your local hubs?

Local Hubs

Bethesda

“The Bethesda car club now has 85 members. In April, a total of 5,110 km was driven using the two cars.”

There are 2 comfortable electric cars available to residents of the Bethesda area. The cars are powered at Bethesda Community Library and are available to everyone — you don’t need to have driven an electric car before!

Penygroes

The first electric car in Penygroes is on the way! The car will be powered at Yr Orsaf in the centre of Penygroes, so everyone will have access to it.

We are encouraging local members to join now!

A launch night for the car will be held soon, so keep an eye out for the date and come along to see it.

Innovative initiative across Wales

TrydaNi enables thousands of people across Wales to travel in an accessible and green way, and recently they reached a milestone in Aberystwyth of over 100 active users.

“It’s an amazing service that I use when I’m working away – I claim mileage back from work as if it were my own car! We’ve gone from having two cars last year to just one family car now, using the community electric car when needed. It has also reduced stress for me and saved money!”

 – Al Cowlishaw.

Excellent service and unwavering support

Are you nervous about driving an electric car for the first time? Don’t be! The TrydaNi team is here to put your mind at ease.

The TrydaNi service offers friendly, attentive familiarisation sessions for members who are new to driving electric cars — you’ll be confident driving an electric vehicle in no time!

TrydaNi also has a support helpline available to assist drivers across Wales, whether there’s a technical issue or you just want some peace of mind. TrydaNi doesn’t just care for the community — it cares for people too.

Easy, Effective and Manageable

The voice of TrydaNi users

Megan Meeke – Bethesda

“I have no trouble getting wherever I need to go. For example, I’m currently supporting someone in Dolgellau, which is about 50 miles away. I can go there and back, drop off the car, and there’s still 50% charge left in it!”

Hannah Mefin – Bethesda

“There are many personal benefits to driving an electric car. Not only is it great for the environment, but it’s also nice to drive a car without having to think about maintenance. It feels so good to drive a clean and comfortable car. I’ve been able to get rid of my second car and save money by using this community car instead.”

Angharad

Click to listen to Angharad’s experience using TrydaNi cars:

Affordable and Reliable

With the cost-of-living crisis putting even more pressure on households, using TrydaNi electric cars can be one less financial burden for you. For just £2 per hour and 16p per mile, you can drive comfortably and sustainably without breaking the bank.

Community Champions

Be part of the solution: become a Community Champion!

TrydaNi is not just a car hire service, but a movement that gives ownership back to the community. Through the Community Champions scheme, you can play a key role in ensuring the sustainability of your local club and earn driving credits worth up to £25 per task.

We are looking for active members who have been with TrydaNi for over a month to help with tasks such as keeping the cars clean, carrying out monthly checks, and recruiting new members. It’s a perfect way to be rewarded for caring for your area and helping others switch to electric transport.

We are already working with around three Champions in each area, and now is your chance to join them!

Bright and Pollution-free Future

Be part of TrydaNi as it builds on its existing successes and continues to grow in the years ahead — improving your life directly and the environment, one car at a time.

TrydaNi hopes to expand and provide more cars across Wales, including in rural communities. They are working hard to develop access to clean transport and are encouraging you, local residents, to join and use these accessible cars.

Join the TrydaNi initiative. Drive a clean car. Reduce your local pollution.

Go For It!

Join, Book, Drive!

Follow the link beolw to join TrydaNi and for more information:

Gwefan TrydaNi
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What’s it like to cycle to work in Pen Llŷn? – Elin’s story

Hwb Beics Pen Llŷn is a new offering based in Congl Meinciau, Botwnnog. It arose out of collaboration between GwyrddNi’s Green Transport group, O Ddrws i Ddrws and Ynni Llŷn, with a huge thanks to Sustrans for donating and lending some of the bicycles. For a membership of £20 a month, you can borrow a bike (even an electric one) to get a taste of cycling before committing to buying one!

This blog was written by Elin Jones, who was one of the first people to join and borrow a bike!

Blog by Elin Jones

Over the last month by joining Hwb Beics Pen Lŷn I have been very fortunate to have the opportunity to hire one of their electric bikes. I would like to thank GwyrddNi for the great opportunity. Here are a few words about my experience.

Back in May I had to scrap my trusty little car and at that time with little money I started to think how in the world could I live here – in the middle of nowhere – without a car. I thought about buses, walking, riding a bike and an electric bike but the truth about it is that I failed… this time.

After two weeks of relying on mum for lifts to work (thanks Mum) being stuck and catching the rare Rhydyclafdy bus I gave up and realised I had to buy a car. I got news of a cheap second-hand car so that was it. I have to admit it has been very handy over the summer *cough* winter and I would have struggled being without it.

However, in the period when I didn’t have a car I had decided that I wanted to rely less on it. I had been looking at an electric bike but couldn’t afford one. In my thought-shower and by asking around I heard about the Hwb Beics – a joint project between GwyrddNi and other community initiatives such as Ynni Llŷn and O Ddrws i Ddrws. There were electric bikes available for the community to use and I was keen to test drive one and use one as often as I could over the summer! I wondered how possible it was for me to live here without a car, really?

After meeting Dafydd at Congl Meinciau and seeing the bikes that were available, I had the opportunity to go for a spin around the car park and get to know the bike. There are 4 settings that go from a little help from the bike to a bit more help from the bike – ‘eco’ ‘tour’ ‘sport’ and ‘turbo’ – and 10 gears. The bike won’t go anywhere without me pedalling. And that’s it! Simple. The only thing to do now was to get used to riding the bike on the main road. The bike I have folds, the handlebars come down making it possible to fit it in my car. Great!

The following day with a helmet on my head and a hi-vis vest I started my journey to work. Llanbedrog would be my first destination – about 5 miles cross country from Madryn towards the coast. Beautiful. For the first time that I can remember I was able to go all the way there and back without having to get off the bike and push it up a hill. Wow! It’s a relaxing experience riding a bike like this and it feels great – I’ll keep at it.

I will be working on the National Trust car parks this summer in some of the most special and now busiest areas of Llŷn – Llanbedrog, Porthdinllaen, Porthor and the prettiest village at the edge of the world – Aberdaron. It’s nice to be able to use the electric bike to go there.

I use the bike regularly – to go to work and outside of work as well. I have a small bag attached to the side where I’m able to carry what I need. I sometimes take the charger if I think of going further. Although – the battery lasts well and will go to Aberdaron and back (which is 13 miles each way) – with no problem! Cars are pretty good at leaving enough space most of the time and I’m happy going on all the roads.

I love the bike. It’s a great opportunity to have everyday use of an electric bike at an extremely reasonable price that I can afford. This opportunity has also played a big part in me becoming more familiar with GwyrddNi’s work as a community organisation that acts on climate change.

As I flow down the back lanes with the wind in my face I have time to think and appreciate everything. The sky is a happy blue. The pink of the red campion and the purple of the foxgloves leap out from the green hedges . There is a smell of grass is the air. That outside smell. It smells of life. I see birds – loads of birds!  Lots of large birds of prey, low, hovering, one on an electric pole – red kite, buzzard and small morning birds – one bright yellow! I see the world from a different perspective for a bit.

It’s a positive change, bright and fresh. The exercise and the fresh air is good for me. The endless lanes are like rivers through the land while I peddle my way forward, considering my own role in the community and what small changes I can make to tread this earth a little lighter.

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If you’re interested in joining Hwb Beics Pen Llŷn, contact Dafydd at dafydd.rhys@ynnillyn.cymru

GwyrddNi is a community-based, community-led climate action movement that brings people together in five areas of Gwynedd to discuss, share and act locally to tackle climate change. 

If you want to be part of co-creating greener, more sustainable and resilient communities – get in touch – or click the button below to let us know how you’d like to be involved. We will get back to you and connect to you to most appropriate person/people!

Get involved!