Beryl has been given the green light to extend its e-scooter trial schemes – including here on the Isle of Wight – for another 18 months.
The approval comes after the 3 local authorities with which Beryl runs e-scooter trial schemes – Norfolk County Council, BCP Council and Isle of Wight Council – accepted the Department for Transport’s (DfT) invitation to extend them until May 2024.
Beryl launched its e-scooter trial scheme on the Isle of Wight in November 2020 and since then 123,818 journeys have been completed, covering 249,466 miles.
Beryl CEO and co-founder, Phil Ellis, has said:
“The numbers show that our e-scooters have proven to be really popular across the three areas and their extension is a major boost to our aim of inspiring even more people to take up sustainable travel.
“When planned correctly with local authorities and stakeholders and with the safety of users and pedestrians treated as paramount, e-scooters can offer a fast, fun, clean and inexpensive travel option.
“The extension of the trial will allow us to gather even further evidence to support the importance of their role within integrated urban transport schemes”.
The news of an 18-month extension indicates that the law is unlikely to change anytime soon when it comes to the use of private e-Scooters.
Beryl e-scooters can be used on roads, cycle lanes, carriageways and other areas where cycling is permitted but not on pavements. E-scooter riders are required to provide a valid UK Driving Licence to participate.
Suggest we re-purpose those batteries over the dark winter months 😉
If the scheme was operated as per the Beryl PR statement I would have no problem with this green transport.
However they cannot , or will not, police it.
Many users are too young to have a driving licence
Many users ride 2 up, and or on the pavement
Many do not observe the Highway Code and are a danger to other pedestrians and rod users.
Beryl need to get a grip on this or close the scheme down before someone is maimed or killed.
Totally agree with you. And yet again our useless council has totally ignored public opinion in extending this scheme. I know of no-one who wants these idiotic machines on the island due to their complete misuse. Time for a vote of no confidence in the council.
The council will no doubt be getting paid to have them here so won’t listen to any one
I agree with you Paul completely, how is it that the participants using the scooter require a driving licence, “but said scooter is illegal to use on the road, and on padestrian footpaths. Does the rule of Law and COMMON SENSE go out the window because its deemed as GREEN!!!!!.
I am certain that as today the gales and driving rain will limit the sincerity of those using such dangerous transportation.
Especially so as top Councillors and better people glide past their wobbly drenched unstable transportation as they and their families and ilk sit in climate controlled cars , heated seats with in car entertainment, safe snug and warm
See it how it is
Most of them probably don’t even know the highway code along with a lot of cyclists.
It would seem neither the law or the highway code apply to cyclists or these scooters. beryl do not care who uses the as long as the money keeps rolling in and there is no point reporting misuse of scooters to beryl as they ignore complaints and do nothing.
It would seem neither the law or the highway code apply to cyclists or these scooters…and indeed to a great many motorists!
Most of them probably don’t even know the highway code along with a lot of motorists and pedestrians!.
Very well said; I have rarely seen one used properly.
What makes me laugh is on the scooters it states
DO NOT USE ON PAVEMENTS
and
NOT FOR 2 PERSONS
Who actually police’s this?
Most users do what they should “not”.
I personally would have these contraptions crushed.
When were you going to consult the public about this, IWC councillors?
Do you really think that this decision is in our best interests?
Who made/agreed the decision? And on what grounds? Has the level of nuisance and clutter to our street scene not been clocked by any of the useless suits involved?
What is the matter with our council. These pesky things should be banned.
The council are clueless
The Island is an HEALTH AND SAFETY FREE ZONE
Joe, non disclosure is the rule at County Hall ( FB6 farce ) so any FOI and getting honest answers is never going to happen, this council will bury it with lawyers forever (waste more money) Re the Beryl death traps .. sadly StMarys will need to prepare for the worst, another 18months of misery St Mary’s, the Police and more importantly the public who know these things in the wrong hands are lethal .. well done IWC .. you are truly hopeless .
How can they enforce the age and driving licence part, kids are using these and quite often adults and children going up the road on pavements. Have all the scooters got sat nav locators built in, if so they need checking.
To be honest i have no idea where scooters can or cannot go.
Brilliant news. Quite funny reading all the negative comments (some of which are written by the same person responding to their own posts lol) which clearly confirm that the naysayers are so far away from the reality of whats happening – and the facts – its actually tragic.