E-scooters are a go in Brighton & Hove

A new and exciting way to travel around Brighton & Hove will launch this week.

The first e-scooters of a regulated, citywide trial will be available to hire from Friday 24 July.

Initially, 100 Beryl e-scooters will be available at 20 phase one hubs with dedicated racks installed along the seafront, in the city centre and at both Brighton and Hove railway stations, with the rollout continuing over the summer. 

By the end of phase 2, 300 will be available to hire from 34 hubs across the city. In phase 3, at least 18 more sites will be consulted on. 

Residents, commuters and visitors can hire an e-scooter using the Beryl app where you can find out more information, including free minute bundles for jobseekers and recipients of Universal Credit.

Find out more about the e-scooter trial in Brighton & Hove.

Picture: Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure, and Council Leader Bella Sankey try out the new e-scooters

The scheme includes several no-go and go-slow zones, and night-time weekday and weekend curfews. The launch means Brighton & Hove joins more than 50 towns and cities across the UK currently running e-scooter trials. The use of private e-scooters remains illegal.

Residents, commuters and visitors can hire an e-scooter using the Beryl app where you can find out more information about finding and using one of the new e-scooters.

Convenient and enjoyable

Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure, said: “This is very exciting for Brighton & Hove. E-scooters are a convenient and enjoyable way for people to get around and have been shown to have both mental and physical health benefits. 

“Our offer includes free minutes for jobseekers and recipients of Universal Credit supporting our strategy of getting people into work and caring for those on low incomes.

“A properly controlled and regulated trial means the city now offers a safe and legal alternative to illegal e-scooters.

“With more sustainable transport options available too, we can reduce congestion on our roads, cut emissions and improve air quality.”

Picture: The new e-scooters 

Phil Ellis, CEO and Co-Founder of Beryl, said: "This is a genuinely transformative moment for our Brighton & Hove scheme. E-scooters open up active travel to a whole new group of riders - people who might never have considered a bike, but who'll find a scooter the easier, more familiar way in.

“Our existing bike scheme, with over 600 bikes, has already shown how enthusiastically this city embraces active travel. Adding e-scooters doesn't just complement that - it shifts the balance of our entire fleet towards electric, making sustainable, low-effort transport the default choice for getting around Brighton & Hove, not the exception.

“Whether you're commuting, running errands, or a tourist taking in the seafront and the Lanes, this trial gives you a safe, sustainable, and genuinely fun way to explore the city."

Keeping people safe

The new e-scooters come with a range of safety features, specific to Brighton & Hove.

• Only people aged 18 and over and holding a minimum of a provisional driving licence will be able to hire an e-scooter.
• E-scooters can only be ridden on the road, in cycle lanes or in shared spaces. They are not allowed on pavements and accounts may be suspended or cancelled for failing to comply.
• GPS technology will prevent them from being used outside of the hire zone, including areas like the promenade and Undercliff Walk.
• They have a maximum speed of 12.5 mph (slower than the legal maximum of 15mph allowed for trials) and include front and rear lights and horns.
• E-scooters hires will be subject to a curfew between midnight and 5am Monday to Sunday.  
• A curfew will mean e-scooters cannot be hired between the hours of midnight and 5am. Any hire started before midnight will continue until ended by the user. 
• E-scooters will have registration plates and bells and be covered by 3rd party public liability insurance.
• Anyone reported to be riding dangerously or anti-socially risks having their account suspended. To report anti-social or illegal riding, please contact Beryl on support@beryl.cc 24 hours a day, or Beryl customer services on 020 3003 5044 between 7am to 9pm
• While it’s not a legal requirement to use one, users will also be incentivised to wear helmets with an online retailer discount and signposted guidance on quality

Any other e-scooter not part of the trial remains illegal to use on the road, pavement, cycle lane or any other public space. Councillor Muten added: “We’ve put safety at the heart of this trial.

“We’ve listened to what residents told us during the public consultation and learned lessons from trials in other towns and cities.

“The safety features of the Beryl e-scooters go above and beyond any other scheme in the country. We’ll monitor the data carefully to ensure our e-scooter trial is successful and works for everyone in Brighton & Hove.”