The trial of electric scooters in Canterbury has been extended to the end of March 2022.
Kent County Council has announced the continuation of its part in the national trial following guidance from the Department for Transport (DfT).
Rental e-scooters were first introduced in Canterbury last November when the Government gave permission for the vehicles to be used on a small number of public areas for a year.
While the e-scooters themselves are provided by Bird, KCC is responsible for hosting them on its network in the operational area and gathering the views of local people.
Kent County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, David Brazier, said: “Electric scooters offer the potential for clean and inexpensive travel that can also help ease the burden on transport networks as we navigate a life out of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We look forward to working with the DfT to understand if and how the use of these vehicles have a place in Canterbury and indeed the wider county.
“It is our continued focus to maintain a listening ear when it comes to the views of those who witness the e-scooters being used, and not just those taking part in the trial scheme.”
While these powers allow the use of Bird scooters on the roads mentioned within the designated zone in Canterbury, it remains illegal to ride any other electric scooter in Canterbury, or any other public space that is not within the trial area.
Bird Regional General Manager, Charlotte Bailey, said: “We’re delighted to hear the trial of e-scooters has been extended to March 2022 and applaud the decision of Kent County Council and the DfT for their continued support and embrace of eco-friendly transportation.
“Our goal has always been to make cities more liveable and make people think twice about using a car. The extension of the trial is testament to how well people in Canterbury have taken to the service.
“It’s been an honour to partner with Kent County Council and the DfT and we look forward to building on our partnership to improve our service even further by continuing to provide a safe, environmentally friendly mobility solution to the community.”
Full details of the operational area of the trial is available at www.kent.gov.uk/escootertrial
To report safety concerns about equipment owned and operated by Bird email canterbury@bird.co or phone 01484 509145. Any issued reported through these means will be shared with KCC and in some circumstances with Kent Police.
Safety concerns outside the trial should be reported to Kent Police directly.