E-scooter trial extended until May 2024

More than a million rides have been taken on e-scooters in Birmingham since September 2020, a report said

A trial of e-scooters in Birmingham has been extended by councillors until May 2024.

The scheme has been run by the company Voi since September 2020 and a city council report said more than a million rides had been taken.

The papers added 38 serious injuries and 372 minor injuries had been recorded over the period.

The council's cabinet said the extension of the scheme was based on the retendering of the operator.

Labour councillor Liz Clements, who is responsible for transport, said a third of e-scooter journeys had replaced private car trips, but admitted there were "significant issues".

"We as local councillors are getting casework and complaints about them just being left up, haphazardly on the pavement, so I think we need to set expectations around docking stations," she said.

"We need to listen to people’s concerns about e-scooters but accept that they are part of the the offer that we’re making."

The use of e-scooters in the trial in Birmingham has been extended until May 2024

In June 2021, Voi said the devices would be altered to make an engine-like hum after criticism about the impact of the quiet e-scooters in trials elsewhere.

The devices are limited to 15.5mph on any 30mph road or less.

Birmingham Conservatives leader Robert Alden asked if more Voi employees would get more frequent pickups of scooters discarded on pavements, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

“When you go around the city, you often see them dumped in what would be dangerous places for buses and vehicles and locations," he said.

Council Leader Ian Ward, said “enhanced conditions” would be added to the e-scooters in line with the retendered contracts.