North Devon Council is running an e-scooter trial
North Devon Council is running a rental e-scooter trial for the residents of Barnstaple.
The Council believes that e-scooters offer a carbon-neutral, flexible and cost-effective alternative to other modes of transport.
E-scooters have a lower environmental footprint and have huge potential to improve air quality and assist in tackling the climate emergency. E-scooters are therefore seen as offering a sustainable solution to tackling transport challenges in North Devon.
An e-scooter can be hired under the new scheme by anyone over the age of 16 who holds a full or provisional driving licence.
Users must take a photo of their driving licence and upload it to an app together with a selfie to verify identity.
The stakeholders for the North Devon e-scooter trial are Devon and Cornwall Police, North Devon District Hospital, Petroc, Royal National Institute of Blind People and Barnstaple Town Council.
The safety of e-scooters is always a concern. We have seen a rise in the number of accidents involving e-scooters, with over 1,000 collisions involving e-scooters on British roads each year, some involving fatalities.
North Devon Council are incorporating additional safety measures. This will include driver training and promotion of the use of safety equipment. Furthermore, the speed limit is set at 15.5 mph while geo-fencing will be operated to limit the range of the e-scooters.
However, e-scooters do present a risk to other road users, and pedestrians are particularly vulnerable as they are quiet, fast and sometimes ridden on pavements.