Transport authorities in the West Midlands are aiming to begin a trial of rental e-scooters next month.
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and Birmingham City Council are leading on the development of the trial in the region, in partnership with its six other local authorities and Warwickshire.
It follows new legislation to accelerate trials of rental e-scooters across the UK, to help the the economy and transport systems re-open as the country emerges from the COVID-19 lockdown. Outside the trials, e-scooters are not legal on the highway or the footway.
TfWM, which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), said it has started the tender process for one or more operators.
It said the appointment is expected in August, with the roll-out of a twelve-month trial expected by the end of that month. Some 30 potential operators are said to have have shown an initial interest in running the trial scheme.
Cllr Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council and WMCA portfolio lead for transport, said: ‘Public transport capacity will be reduced for some time after COVID-19, as social distancing requirements continue to apply. We need to be bold in finding low-carbon alternatives that help our citizens move around more easily.
‘I’m looking forward to rolling out the trial in Birmingham and across the region. It will provide an evidence base to inform the development of a longer-term policy approach to e-scooters and allow us to build a localised response for Birmingham’s particular needs.
‘The project partners are committed to finding a suitable operator or operators to deliver a scheme that is green, non-disruptive and safe for both e-scooter users and other road users.’
TfWM said the trials will take place in dedicated zones in each authority area, ‘which have been selected carefully to be manageable in size, covering areas where existing on-highway infrastructure is in place to safely accommodate e-scooter use’.
The trial specification will require interested operators to adhere to local rules, which focus on tackling issues of parking and safety.
TfWM said that it and the local authorities are now focusing on engaging with key stakeholders and residents to understand local concerns and further develop rules for when the e-scooters are launched.
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