The Isle of Wight Council, Solent Transport and British micromobility provider Beryl are co-developing plans for an e-Scooter pilot program on the Isle of Wight as part of a trial being considered across the Solent area.
If confirmed, this will be part of a national trial sponsored by the Department for Transport being delivered through Solent Transport’s, Future Transport Zone programme.
If successful up to 75 e-Scooters will initially be available to hire from ‘Beryl Bays’ on the Island from November, as part of a measured rollout that ensures Beryl and the Isle of Wight Council can develop operational details in partnership with relevant stakeholders and the wider community.
Beryl’s innovative hybrid parking model, that encourages riders to park in geo-fenced bays, will provide residents and visitors to the Isle of Wight with sustainable and affordable transport that does not impede on the Island’s social infrastructure.
The e-Scooter pilot programme requires no direct funding from the Isle of Wight Council and is the first of many trials planned by Solent Transport. The partnership body representing Isle of Wight Council, Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council, is awaiting approval from DfT to introduce a 12-month trial scheme of rental e-Scooters in a number of areas across the region.
E-Scooters cannot currently be used legally in the UK, except on private land, but confirmation of the trial by the DfT would trigger legislation meaning e-Scooters hired from the approved operator could be used in the designated trial area only.
Beryl e-Scooters, which will be able to be hired through the Beryl app and in the future through a ‘Solent Go’ Solent-wide smart card and travel app, will only be legally allowed on the road and cycle lanes, not on pavements. They must be picked up from and parked at a network of specially marked Beryl Bays located on the street and in the Beryl app. Users will be required to provide a valid UK Driving License, while all of Beryl’s e-Scooters have a speed cap at 12.5mph and can be restricted by the operator where lower speeds are deemed necessary.
Beryl CEO Philip Ellis said:
“The Isle of Wight is a fantastic place to host these e-Scooter trials and Beryl is excited to give the Island an opportunity to play a leading role in transforming how the UK travels in a greener and safer way post COVID-19. With the Isle of Wight part of Solent Transport’s Future Transport Zone it is exciting to be working in a region with an ambitious vision for mobility innovation.”
“We are proud to provide an e-Scooter that meets the highest safety standards, and will offer every user with a comfortable and smooth ride. We look forward to working with the Isle of Wight Council and Solent Transport, as well as other key organisations from the police to local disability groups to ensure all residents and visitors are positively impacted by this trial.”
Councillor Ian Ward, Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure for Isle of Wight Council and Chair of the Solent Transport Joint Committee, said:
“We welcome this trial to the Isle of Wight. E-scooters could help the Island not only as we emerge from this pandemic but as we look to tackle climate change by offering a greener and healthier alternative to the car for many journeys.”
For more information on Beryl, visit www.beryl.cc.
As if the island doesnt have enough RTC’s on our roads they decide to allow these dangerous contraptions on our roads to raise the figures higher.
To add to the mile long queue behind the cyclists and horse riders, we will now be held up even further behind a ” grown up” ? on his 12.5 mph electric toy or a ” Save the planet warrior” doing his bit while the queue behind him are stuck in 1st gear churning out copious amounts of exhaust fumes, much to the frustration of motorists stuck behind who are just trying to go about their business. No mention of insurance either.
That doesn’t matter so long as the council can say they have taken a “green” initiative. Now we shall have to dodge these thing as well as Bikes on our pavements.
I agree Joe, the only true “green” initiative is free public transport. Both train and bus. But no one would want to pay the tax for that. 🙁 So we continue to burn dead stuff. For the cars and to make the new electric cars. More cars of any kind is not the answer. But is not an easy option for somewhere like the island. Ok for city. Not really for here. Also got to sell the idea to lazy people who only care about number one…..
This has got to be a joke surely! As if we don’t have enough troubles on our roads with cyclists thinking they have priority on them over vehicles. Ridiculous, great for inner cities with not many vehicles or just buses, but main roads. It’s suicide.
That’s all we need a load of unlicensed and uninsured knobs on electric toys blocking up the road or knocking down pedestrians as they don’t seem to have any laws to conform to
They wont be unlicensed as you have to hold a full Driving licence to hire one which will be insured by the owners still a bloody stupid idea though.
That’s all good but will they have to take a Highway Code test ? Have insurance ? So if they cause an accident car owners have to foot the bill great !
You have to hold a full uk driving licence so that answers your highway codequestion and re insurance, that would be held by the ownersso you would act as a third party if hiring one i would have thought. Hope that helps.
Users have to have a valid Driving Licence, not sure about insurance
You don’t see many 12 year olds with a license you must get them from the same place you find a Isle of Wight passport
Another badly planned idea by the council. This will end with either pedestrians badly hurt
or somebody being scraped from under the car.
Not a good idea. August Bank Holiday we went for a short stroll along Shanklin Promenade. The weather was beautiful, people were out with their children, people walking their dogs, all enjoying the same stroll. Along came a pensioner on one of these e-scooters, wobbling along the promenade winding in among families and small children. When he was forced to stop he almost wobbled off the e-scooter and was not sure of his footing. How very dangerous is that, he obviously had not read the regulations on where to ride these contraptions. His wife was running along behind holding his crutches.
Police should have sorted him out, as you point out, at present they are illegal on pavements and roads
Moan moan moan moan
What a bunch of negative doom mongers. Try dragging yourselves out of the 19th century, and into the 21st.
On an electric toy that is marginally faster than a Penny Farthing or a Hobby horse. That’s dragging yourself into the 21st century ?? NOT !!
Its about 21st century attitudes, not hardware.
That’s a great idea and whilst you are there try to find a eco way to charge the thing and maybe even look at the environmental damage being done to source the battery’s components
We seem to be lab rats for everything these days
Moan moan moan moan
Brilliant idea for the island
No doubt all the old people will moan as they go faster than their mobility scooters lol
Apparently – “You don’t need insurance for a mobility scooter, although it’s recommended”.
Stupid, just leave them as recreational toys limited to private property. They can’t be considered healthy like pedalling a cycle. Save them for when there are so many cars that no-one can drive anywhere, then they might be useful, but now NO.
There are already too many cars etc.
I recently followed one of these, (not too closely), ridden by a young woman, at 20 mph through Freshwater. It looked most unsafe at that speed.
The Beryl ones are restricted to 12.5 mph.
So the only legal ones will be hire scooters? People will just buy their own if they want one, why hire one? Who will enforce their use as no one is doing it at the moment?
You have answered your own question. If you buy one it isnt legal. If you hire one it is. So why buy one?
So now we’ll have even more uninsured and unregistered wheeled vehicles – in addition to high-speed bikes, skateboards, etc – flailing along the unpoliced “Pedestrian Zone” that is Cowes High Street… weaving in and out of the walkers and tiny toddlers.
If they’re going to be given free rein to plough through the pedestrians they should be banned from overtaking any walkers… and their vehicles immediately confiscated when they break the law.
Great idea, a really easy way for some of to commute.