West Midlands moves to docked e-scooter hire scheme with extra safety checks

Transport for West Midlands has appointed micromobility specialist Beryl to run a dock-based e-scooter hire scheme in Birmingham which critically relies on designated docking bays in a bid to reduce street clutter.

The first phase of the scheme will see 200 e-scooters made available to hire in the city centre and surrounding neighbourhoods with a further 700 to be rolled out in a phased manner by the end of September 2023.

Beryl was appointed by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Birmingham City Council as the new operator for the e-scooter rental trial in the city.

Riders must be aged over 18 and provide a valid UK Driving Licence to use the scheme. The new scheme will include a number of features designed to make it as safe as possible for users and pedestrians. This includes driving licence scanning technology with selfie verification on sign up and further checks when moving account to a new device. There will also be both random and targeted selfie verification checks to deter misuse.

The e-scooters are available to hire alongside hundreds of West Midlands Cycle Hire bikes in central Birmingham using the Beryl app.

In a major change from the earlier scheme in Birmingham, these e-scooters will need to be collected from and returned to a designated dock or parking bay – often located alongside the cycle hire docking stations. This will reduce roadside clutter and keep streets tidy.

Beryl CEO and co-founder, Phil Ellis, said, “We’re really excited to be working with another of the UK’s major city regions and I’m confident that our experience and innovation can help our e-scooters become a crucial cog in the region’s integrated urban transport network. 

“They’re particularly useful for first and last mile journeys and a great way to connect with other urban transport systems or to commute to and from the office.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said, “Over the last three years, e-scooters became a fixture of Birmingham’s transport network – often proving to be a popular alternative to cars for shorter journeys and helping to reduce road traffic congestion.

“After what was always designed to be an initial e-scooter trial, we took the opportunity of a break in contract to try a different approach with a new operator. I would like to thank regular e-scooter users for their patience during the transition.

“Central to Beryl’s approach is a docked or parked system which will help reduce clutter on the roadside – ensuring tidier streets and a better experience for pedestrians. Another key element – crucial given previous incidents and lessons to be learnt – is putting in place more safety checks and enhanced verification of users in order to deter underage riders and other instances of misuse.

“E-scooters must be operated responsibly and - in partnership with Beryl - we will continuously monitor these new measures to ensure local people can be reassured about what we’re offering.”

Cllr Liz Clements, cabinet member for transport with Birmingham City Council, added: “E-scooters provide another sustainable form of transport and I'm pleased to see the extra safety measures with this trial.

“Being able to use them alongside cycle hire, with many of the parking bays located alongside cycle docking stations, means people can hop from one to other and venture even further afield on sustainable, active transport."