Taunton and Minehead e-scooter trials extended until 2024

Councillors and Zipp Mobility staff launched the Taunton scooter trial in October 2020

E-scooter trials in two Somerset towns have been extended until May 2024.

Taunton and Minehead were chosen for the trials in 2020 and 2021 respectively, in a partnership between the local council, the Department for Transport (DfT) and Zipp Mobility.

The trials were due to finish in November but have now been extended.

Somerset West and Taunton Council figures show that more than 150,000 journeys have been taken on the scooters across the two towns.

Taunton's e-scooter trial has seen 121,750 rides by nearly 15,000 riders, travelling more than 228,500 miles, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The trial in Minehead has seen almost 30,000 rides by more than 12,000 riders, travelling more than 43,000 miles.

This has removed the equivalent of 37 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere overall, the council claims.

The Taunton e-scooter trial began in October 2020

The scooter trial has been extended to allow the DfT to gather more data ahead of possibly introducing new legislation.

E-scooters remain illegal on UK roads outside of the current trial areas.

The Zipp e-scooters being used in both trials are limited to 15mph, though other models available commercially can exceed 30mph.

Councillor Dixie Darch, portfolio holder for climate change, announced the extension of the trial ahead of a full council meeting on 6 December.

In a written report, she said public consultations had been carried out to look at safety and any ways the trial could be improved.

"In response to opinions on the trial being extended, with the exception of two abstentions, 199 (55%) were either satisfied, more than satisfied or very satisfied, compared with 163 (45%) being partly satisfied or not satisfied."