The first trial of e-scooters anywhere in the UK will take place
across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool thanks to a successful
campaign by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen- with the pilot rolling
out later this month.
The announcement by Mayor Houchen comes just days after Secretary
of State for Transport MP changed the legal status of
e-scooters which are currently banned on roads and pavements in
the UK under existing traffic laws.
The Mayor has teamed up with Ginger, a UK based e-scooter company
who have great experience of working with local communities to
deliver innovative, clean transport solutions to deliver the
trial.
The change in legislation means e-scooters which are part of the
trial will be permitted where bikes are allowed, on roads, cycle
lanes and tracks where possible. Draft legislation implies that
riders must be over 16 years old, have at least a provisional
driving licence and that helmets are highly recommended with
details of the local pilot currently being finalised.
Mayor Houchen had previously called on the Government to make the
region a trial area to determine whether the battery-powered
vehicles could be used more widely, as a clean energy, socially
distanced alternative to other forms of transport following the
coronavirus outbreak.
Plans are now well advanced on where the e-scooters will be
located across every Local Authority area with 100 e-scooters
initially involved in the trial.
At the start of the trial each parking location will be strictly
geo-fenced so users must leave their e-scooters in these
locations at the end of the ride, with Ginger responsible for the
charging of scooters. As the trial progresses Ginger will look at
introducing on-street charging and docking locations.
Mayor Houchen said: “Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool are
leading the UK in new, clean and innovate technologies.
E-scooters are a part of that. I have been a big fan of
e-scooters for a very long time, and when the Government
announced their plans to fast track their introduction, it was
obvious that our region should be the first trial area. So, I am
thrilled that the UKs first trail on e-scooters on UK roads will
take place across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.
“Today’s move shows that Government is just as passionate as I am
about clean innovative forms of travel and making e-scooters
widely available as a clean energy, socially distant mode of
transport which will help get our workers moving safely again and
give our businesses a boost following the coronavirus pandemic.
“It has been fantastic working with a forward-thinking company
like Ginger to make this trial a reality, and to be able to do it
in such a short period of time shows just how committed they are
to making e-scooters more widely used. I am also pleased that by
working together we have been able to make using e-scooters cost
effective with the price of a ride competitive with other forms
of public transport.”
“We are already a forward-thinking region, at the forefront of
clean energy and developing the technologies of the future with
the Net Zero Teesside carbon capture, storage and utilisation
scheme. Thanks to this decision, we’ve been rightly recognised
for our innovation and in how we can lead the UK in doing things
differently.”
Paul Hodgins, CEO of Ginger, said “I am delighted to be
introducing Ginger e-scooters to the Tees Valley as part of the
pioneering Government scheme to trial this exciting new form of
transport. I strongly believe micro e-mobility offers unique
solutions to today’s transport challenges. It is great that the
Tees Valley Mayor and the Transport Secretary are making this
public pilot the first in the UK, choosing to work with Ginger, a
British innovator and transport provider.”
ENDS
Notes to Editor:
- Insurance may dictate at this stage that riders must be 18 or
over.
