UK transport app and website provider, Passenger, is working with Southern Vectis and e-scooter provider Beryl to inspire more people to choose an alternative mode of transport to their cars in Newport.
A new e-Scooter integration feature has been introduced on Southern Vectis’ website, meaning travellers can now view Beryl e-Scooter locations in bays when planning their journeys.
The feature has been launched to raise awareness of the wide range of micro-mobility options available for people to use when travelling to and from bus stops or train stations – known as the ‘first and last mile’ leg of their journey. Those who have hired e-scooters can simply drop them off at the conveniently located bays before boarding their bus.
Tom Quay, CEO at Passenger, has said:
“Many people don’t live within walking distance of a station or bus stop, meaning they rely on their cars for some, or even all of their journey. The first and last leg of a journey is just as important as the main journey itself, especially when we need to do everything we can to reduce our carbon footprint. It’s crucial people have access to more eco-friendly, micro-mobility options which are easy to locate and use, so they’re inspired to use them in favour of their cars. Our technology powers sustainable transport, and we want to encourage even more people to opt for public transport – whether that’s travelling by bus, bike or other methods – as their first choice to help make a difference to the environment.”
Beryl e-Scooters have been launched as part of a trial run by the Department for Transport (DfT), to understand how they can safely and efficiently add to existing transport networks. Their introduction has already had a positive impact on the environment, with 15 % of users surveyed by Beryl during the trial saying they would otherwise have used a car for their journey.
Phil Ellis, CEO of Beryl, adds:
“We provide around 3,000 bikes and e-Scooters across various locations in the UK, to help local authorities provide sustainable transport options that create meaningful behavioural changes for residents and visitors to the area. The 450,000km covered by Beryl e-Scooters across the Isle of Wight is a potential saving of 154.2 tonnes of CO2 from being released into the air[1]. Our unique approach to micro mobility means our scheme is accessible and affordable to the majority of residents and we’re delighted that Passenger’s e-Scooter website integration will drive awareness of our sustainable vehicles for first and last mile journeys.”
Andrew Wickham, Managing Director of Go South Coast, says:
“This is a great initiative to help ease congestion and encourage more people into active travel. We have invested heavily in new Euro 6 low emissions buses over the last few years – and just one double decker bus can take up to 75 cars off the road.”
To view the new e-Scooter feature, visit https://www.islandbuses.info/.
All very laudable, but the Authorities (both Police and Council) must do something about the private e-scooters that you see whizzing Arlington pavements and roads, a very large number of which are ridden by ‘young people’ with absolutely no regard for pedestrians, other road users, or for that matter any rules of the road.
Sadly despite all the self satisfied praise these people are giving themselves the majority of users in Ryde are idiots making a nuisance of themselves by riding on the pavements, wrong way down the road and ignoring one way streets and as fast as they can go together with riding 2 up as well as underage riders, neither beryl or the police are in the slightest interested.
The Beryl scheme for e-scooters is fine in theory, but like many companies they sell these ideas to Local Councils with promises of ” systems in place ” to prevent problems, then when a disaster happens they churn out the standard ” lessons will be learned ” statement.
The fact is many people are riding two up, many scooters are used by minors who are under driving licence age, and they are ridden dangerously on pavements and on roads.
They are ideal for drug runners too !. The Council should demand better supervision by Beryl and hold them accountable. Hopefully the new more democratic Council will reconsider the scheme.
Andrew Wickham, Managing Director of Go South Coast, says:
And how many cars does an empty bus take off the road?
We already have an alternative to cars.. this is a biking island as are many other islands for obvious reasons, we have free parking for motorbikes, cycling into town is also very popular as is walking, i find it hard to believe the percentage of people reported that would’ve used their cars instead, sounds more like mainland data..450,000km…if there are 12 scooters that means each one has covered 37,500km or 23,301 miles..on the island at 10mph.
12 scooters? Got a link to that factual data? I think you will find there are well over 100 on IOW
but they are always unused in rows, ive only seen a few kids on them ..so each one has done 4500km??
Try cycling up hill while carrying a double bass.