Suggested improvements

Councillors feel that there should be more training events and opportunities to teach people how to use the rental e-scooters correctly. They think this is particularly important for younger riders who may not know how to drive or understand the Highway Code, and that this training should include education on the impact of irresponsible use on other road and pavement users. Councillors suggest this could include more in-person training events, visits to educational facilities, or through in-app training and videos.

Councillors also suggest that this training include work to raise confidence and proficiency among riders and potential riders who lack the confidence to use the rental e-scooters frequently. They feel that this training could improve both the safety of the scheme, as well the general public’s perception of the scheme, as residents are generally most concerned with the safety of rental e-scooters, particularly when ridden by young or inexperienced riders.

“More sort of training and more information about how to use the e-scooters safely would make sense … maybe videos or something in the app that would be good.”

Councillors feel that the scheme would greatly benefit from an improved travel infrastructure in Portsmouth. In particular, they suggest an improvement to the cycling infrastructure all over the city, to provide rental e-scooter riders a separate lane to use. This would create safer routes for riders and reduce the number of clashes with pedestrians and other road users, making the scheme feel safer for non-users too. They feel this would greatly reduce current issues with the scheme.

In the long term, councillors also suggest a better integration with other transport systems to improve the scheme. For example, ensuring there are sufficient parking racks at public transport stations, like train stations and bus stops, to enable further onward travel.

“It would be good to think about if we’re thinking about commuting onward travel. So for example at train stations … people can literally go off a train and, you know, and go and use them.”

“I think it’s the same as cyclists, it’s exactly the same argument, we need to create a better and safer environment for cyclists, and then cyclists and scooters can share the same thing.”

Councillors feel that there could be more done to promote the rental e-scooter trial in a positive light to improve public perceptions of the scheme, as many residents may not know the benefits of the scheme. Feeling that the positive outcomes of the trial can often outweigh the negative issues, they suggest emphasis on the positive impacts of the trial. This could include its affordability and convenience in the current cost of living crisis, the positive environmental impact, particularly in reducing car and other private vehicle usage, as well as its potential to reduce congestion and parking problems in the city.

Councillors feel that benefits to the community as a whole should be included in its promotion, rather than just those benefits to the user. They suggest more involvement in community events could improve public engagement. Through this, they feel that residents may feel more inclined to use the scheme if their perception of the rental e-scooters is re-framed through a more positive lens.

“I think better to go and to have your stall there and to let the people know what are the benefits and what you can, how can you improve and how means what you are doing to improve it.” [sic]

“I think that that’s a really positive story to tell, because I think there’s a lot of people are sceptical about the impact that it’s [the trial] having.”

Councillors feel that the rental e-scooter scheme could benefit from work to improve routes for the scheme, particularly in better linking up the north and south of Portsmouth, as well as from east to west. They feel this would help to further bridge the gap left by public transport for these routes and promote the scheme as an alternative mode of travel. Additionally, they suggest including routes down quieter roads to enable newer riders to gain more confidence in using the rental e-scooters on a less populated and busy road.

Councillors were also asked how they feel the location of parking racks could be improved for the scheme. As previously mentioned, councillors suggest better integrating the rental e-scooters with other forms of transport through the strategic placement of parking racks near bus stops and train stations. Better integration with the park and ride scheme as a way to promote sustainable travel was also mentioned.

Councillors suggest ensuring large places of work have sufficient rental e-scooter parking to encourage commuters to travel in this way, giving examples such as QA hospital and Lakeside. More racks at popular leisure and event destinations, such as at Fratton Park, were also suggested to alleviate congestion on the road on event days. The Mountbatten centre was also suggested as a destination for further parking racks to align with the council’s goal to promote healthy travel and activity. Places with limited parking, such as Southsea seafront, were identified as good locations to locate parking racks to discourage car use to these locations.

“The sort of roots from north to south, particularly where cycling provision isn’t great and people don’t feel safe, and, you know, on a bus, it does take a really long time to get from the north to south because of the stops and the traffic.”

“On a Sunday or Saturday morning, when the local aspiring footballers are going to play football, they’ve got some way they can actually get there by another means of transport, so you’re not actually encouraging them to drive.”