Who is taking over the West Midlands' new e-scooter scheme ?
A new e-scooter scheme is coming to the West Midlands.
Transport operator Beryl has been appointed to deliver the region’s new e-scooter hire scheme, following an open tender process.
Beryl e-scooters will initially hit the streets of Birmingham in June, with further phases to be rolled out during the rest of 2023 and beyond.
The e-scooters will be available to hire on the Beryl app. Their speed is capped at 12.5 mph.
Beryl CEO and co-founder, Phil Ellis, said:
“We are absolutely thrilled to have been selected to deliver an e-scooter hire scheme in the West Midlands and look forward to bringing our experience and innovation to another of the UK’s major city regions.
“We already know that e-scooters are becoming an incredibly popular way for people to get around urban environments, offering people a fun, sustainable and cost effective alternative to the car that can contribute to reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions.
ITV News Central spoke to people in Birmingham about their thoughts on re-introducing e-scooters.
Mike Waters, director of policy, strategy and innovation with Transport for West Midlands, said:
“E-scooters have proved popular in Birmingham over the last few years, so we know many users will be pleased to see the new Beryl hire service on the streets in time for the summer.
Phil Edwards, assistant director transport and connectivity with Birmingham City Council, said:
"Just this week we hosted the Birmingham Transport Summit, talking about the need to fundamentally change how people move around the city; we need to drastically reduce the reliance on cars and encourage more sustainable modes of transport.
"E-scooters are great for shorter journeys, alongside walking and cycling so we can all live in a healthier environment."
People are also reminded that only e-scooters hired from the approved trial scheme can be ridden on the highway and public places.
How will Beryl ensure children won't gain access to using the e-scooter?
Beryl says: "When customers register to use one of our e-scooters, the terms and conditions clearly state that they must hold a valid UK driving licence and that it is against the law to ride without one.
"However, as an extra layer of security, we utilise the latest licence scanningtechnology, including selfie verification to further discourage anyone fromtrying to ride illegally. We undertake randomised recertification checks toensure the licence holder is the one using the vehicle."