E-scooter trials in Milton Keynes are set to be extended for another 16 months with around 1.6m journeys already completed in the city.
The scooters have proved popular in MK and have replaced an estimated 390,000 car journeys, saving 128 tonnes of carbon.
The trials are led by Central Government and were initially planned to last 12 months. However, Government is seeking more time to consider national policy which means local authorities have the option to permit an extension of local trials. In Milton Keynes, trials are proposed to be extended until May 2024. The City Council will make a decision on this next week.
A working group involving the City Council and partners will continue to look at local considerations and concerns about the use of e-scooters. The group provides regular feedback to e-scooter operators on issues including rider behaviour and parking.
“We want Milton Keynes to lead in providing innovative low-cost sustainable transport. The popularity of e-scooters in MK isn’t surprising and shows a collective commitment from local people to cut emissions. We know there’s been some issues with the scooters and that’s exactly the kind of thing that the trial is intended to shine a spotlight on. We listen to people’s feedback and pass this onto the operators, so they can improve their service, and we all take one step nearer to a transport network that does more to tackle climate change.”