E-scooter Trials
Three trials of rental e-scooters are running in the Solent area: on the Isle of Wight, in Portsmouth and in Southampton as part of a national trial for the Department for Transport (DfT).
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To request a copy of the full project report that was submitted to the Department for Transport, please email enquiries@solent-transport.com.
The Aim
The trials are focused on three key areas: offering people new transport options, safety, and learning lessons for the future.
This includes collecting robust evidence to help inform government decisions about possible changes to legislation around the use of e-scooters in the UK.
Offering e-scooters for hire helps improve the range of transport options available to the Solent area’s residents and visitors.
The e-scooters are run and operated by Voi Technology. E-Scooters are available across Southampton and Portsmouth, but particularly near rail stations, universities, hospitals and shopping centres so people can use them for their everyday journeys. On the Isle of Wight the trial is taking place in the towns of Newport, Ryde, Cowes and East Cowes. Voi offer a range of discount schemes, such as lower rates for NHS workers, students, refugees, over 65s and those on low incomes.
Key Information
The Solent e-scooter trials have been operating on the Isle of Wight since November 2020, and in Portsmouth and Southampton since
March 2021. They have the 5th highest ridership out of all those taking place in England (DfT 2022).
Throughout the FTZ Programme, more than 250,000 people have participated in the Solent e-scooter trials, completing over 5.4 million rides and travelling over 12.4 million kms. There are now more than 1,650 e-scooters available to hire across the three areas.
The Solent Future Transport Zone has worked with Voi to introduce new safety features such as the audible turn indicators, sobriety tests for late-night users and caps on parking to keep things tidy. Voi provides a range of training for users, including in person events and online.
Dissemination
Micromobility Parking: Selecting sites and making them happen
Resources
Micromobility Parking – Webinar Slides
Footway Parking Approval Process – S115 Licence
Frontager or Materially Affected Person Cover Letter
Frontager or Materially Affected Person Notice
Micromobility Consultation Draft Licence Conditions
Micromobility bay checklist (Footway) Risk Assessment
Research
For all associated research and reports for this project click below.