Smart Move Northamptonshire e-scooter trial
The Governments guidance for Covid-19 safer travel is "help control coronavirus and travel safely by walking and cycling, if you can. Where this is not possible, use public transport, and keep your distance, or drive". Government guidance for e-scooter users can be found here.
NCC is therefore keen to explore new ways to manage the increased demand for safer travel options and provide attractive, green choices. This aligns closely with the Smart Move Northamptonshire initiative.
NCC is excited by the opportunity offered by the Government (via the Department of Transport) to run a series of e-scooter trials in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a way of delivering a green restart to local transport systems. This is one of the first to be approved in the UK. Via the trials, NCC will be able to build its understanding of the role that e-scooters could play in the future and how it can support and manage their use.
Following a competitive tender process launched by Northamptonshire County Council, Voi Technology UK Limited (Voi) have been selected to provide an on-street e-scooter rental service within Northamptonshire, initially within Northampton and later extending to Kettering. The trial will start in Northampton on 3rd September and will run for 12 months.
You can find out more information here about how Northants Police, Voi and NCC have been working together to enhance the safety of the scheme.
To learn more about e-scooters or to get started, please visit the Voi web page or download the Voi app. You can also visit our FAQs here and feedback from Northamptonshire residents here.
