Agenda item

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member

1.    Notes the progress that has been made with the E-Scooter Rental Trial project since September 2020;

2.    Approves Portsmouth City Council's participation in an E-Scooter Rental Trial to commence in March 2021 until 26^th November 2021, to be achieved via the introduction of an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO);

3.    Approves Portsmouth City Council entering into a Vehicle Special Order (VSO) Agreement with the Department for Transport (DfT) to authorise the use of E-Scooters in the project area with the express delegation to sign the VSO delegated to the City Solicitor.

Noted the progress that has been made with the E-Scooter

Rental Trial project since September 2020;

Approved Portsmouth City Council's participation in an E-Scooter

Rental Trial to commence in March 2021 until 26th November

2021, to be achieved via the introduction of an Experimental Traffic

Regulation Order (ETRO);

Approved Portsmouth City Council entering into a Vehicle

Special Order (VSO) Agreement with the Department for Transport

(DfT) to authorise the use of E-Scooters in the project area with the

express delegation to sign the VSO delegated to the City Solicitor.

Hayley Chivers, Strategic Transport Lead, introduced the report and welcomed John Hamer (City Relationship Manager) and Erik Hasselbalch (Senior Operations Manager) from Voi, who have been appointed as the scheme operator.

In response to questions from Councillor Heaney officers explained the e-scooters can go up to 15.5 mph but for the first month of the trial they are limited to ten mph.

Slow-go and no-go areas are still being developed. Commercial Road and the northern end of Palmerston Road are no-go zones where e-scooters are not allowed. The southern end of Palmerston Road may become a go-slow zone. As the project is fast moving and continually evolving members will be briefed over the next few weeks. The first month of the trial is important as officers will assess how routes are working with a restricted number of e-scooters and reduced speeds to see if speeds can be increased to 15 mph.

The scooters are not tied to specific routes though there are certain roads they cannot use. Riders have to use the mandatory parking hubs.

Mr Hasselbalch explained that Voi's' Coventry scheme was unsuccessful as there were too many scooters in too small an area and the right enforcement mechanism was not in place. Voi relaunched the Coventry scheme at the University of Warwick. Coventry was the third launch and Portsmouth is no.14. Voi operate schemes in Bristol, Liverpool and Cambridge. The Newcastle scheme is run by Neuron Mobility. Ambassador Teams police the scheme and educate users. Changes have been made to the geo-fencing system that can shut off the throttle in no-go zones.  

Councillor Bosher was concerned that the trial would lead to a possible upsurge in illegal e-scooters and asked how the police would address this. He had seen young children using e-scooters and knew of children's e-scooters being confiscated by the police. Mr Hasselbalch said public awareness campaigns in Liverpool and Northamptonshire on why private e-scooters are illegal had been very successful. He agreed Voi should work with the police to tackle illegal usage and was more than happy to work with them and engage where needed in public outreach. A briefing took place with Marcus Kennedy of Hampshire Constabulary and he is comfortable with the proposed scheme.

Mr Hamer said although the trial is from March to November Voi usually review schemes after a couple of months so members can be updated on progress. Voi work with council officers and constantly review the scheme.

Councillor Heaney said people will want to see the police acting over illegal e-scooters; groups such as the visually impaired and cyclists need to be reassured. Riders need to respect pedestrians and other road users. He hoped any modal shift would not be to the detriment of public transport and cycling. However, he supported the trial.

Councillor Stagg emphasised that the scheme was a trial and hoped it would lead to government legislation on buying and selling e-scooters; she has written to the Department of Transport (DfT) and had non-committal reply. Scooters are a good way to get around and reduce the number of cars. Along with Councillors Bosher and Heaney, she agreed that Voi's thorough presentation was excellent. She thanked Voi and officers for their hard work.

DECISIONS

The Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation:

1.          Noted the progress that has been made with the E-Scooter Rental Trial project since September 2020;

2.          Approved Portsmouth City Council's participation in an E-Scooter Rental Trial to commence in March 2021 until 26November 2021, to be achieved via the introduction of an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO);

3.          Approved Portsmouth City Council entering into a Vehicle Special Order (VSO) Agreement with the Department for Transport (DfT) to authorise the use of E-Scooters in the project area with the express delegation to sign the VSO delegated to the City Solicitor.