Derby City Council has chosen Wind Mobility to operate an e-scooter trial scheme in the city, offering a new travel option to help mitigate congestion, improve air quality and provide affordable travel options.
Some 50 e-scooters will be made available for key workers travelling to and from work in Derby during the 12-month trial starting this month.
Key workers will be able to hire an e-scooter, at a discounted rate of £30 per month, for a minimum of a month, and up to one year. Key workers can express their interest using an online form, but must be over 16 years-old and hold at least a provisional driving licence.
According to Derby City Council, one of the main benefits of the scheme is the ability to create low-speed or no-go zones in main pedestrian areas within the city centre.
Safety training, locks and helmets will be provided to all users and the e-scooters are highly visible with a range of safety features. In addition, hand sanitiser will be provided on each scooter and safety risks reviewed regularly throughout the trial.
To reduce the risk of theft or vandalism, the e-scooters will be fitted with geofencing technology, which means they won’t operate outside of certain boundaries. Wind Mobility can also track the e-scooters to ensure proper use.
Councillor Matthew Holmes, deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration, planning and transportation at Derby City Council, said: “I am pleased that Derby has been selected to trial this government scheme, which means that e-scooters are a new alternative choice for green travel in our city.
“There’s no doubt that they offer a cheap and clean way to travel around Derby, improving not just the air quality in our city, but also the user’s physical and mental health at a time when that is more important than ever.
“There are likely to be a few teething problems to work out, as you’d expect with the introduction of new transport modes. We’ve listened and will continue to listen to any feedback as the trial progresses.
“Hearing the views and experiences of the users themselves, cyclists, other road users and pedestrians is going to be vital to the trial’s success.
“E-scooters are certainly becoming a more popular choice for people, so it’ll be interesting to see whether they’re embraced and become as common as bicycles in Derby!”
As previously reported by CiTTi, Wind Mobility is currently operating a trial in Nottingham, with some 200 e-scooters available to hire.
