E-bike and e-scooter trial begins in Yate and Chipping Sodbury

Another 30,000 people in the West can hop on an e-bike or jump on an e-scooter from tomorrow, Friday 22 August, with a new trial area becoming part of our region’s rental scheme.

Local people will be able to try a ride between 1pm and 4pm tomorrow, Friday 22 August, outside the Armadillo in Yate, next to the leisure centre. Dott, the operator for the trial, will have a pop-up stand where people will be able to learn more about how to register, as well as getting advice on safe and responsible riding.

This follows Wednesday’s announcement of ScootSafe, a new safety campaign led by the region’s Mayor and Police & Crime Commissioner, highlighting that people should ride responsibly and do the right thing on our roads.

E-bikes and e-scooters have been widely used in Bristol and Bath since launching in 2020. This new trial area, operating over the next six months, builds on June and July’s expansion of the main operating area into more of South Gloucestershire (Lyde Green, Cadbury Heath, Longwell Green, Oldland Common, Warmley, Coalpit Heath, Frampton Cotterell, and Winterbourne).

Helen Godwin, the Mayor of the West of England, said:

“People across Yate and Chipping Sodbury now have the chance to try an e-bike or e-scooter to make sustainable local journeys with Dott, with the support of South Gloucestershire Council. These vehicles have quickly become a big part of our transport mix, and should be handy for local residents for shorter journeys in the two towns and beyond.

“We want convenient travel for some people not to inconvenience others. That’s why our combined authority is working with councils to roll out more marked parking areas to keep things tidy, and investing in more cycle lanes so that there are fewer e-bikes and e-scooters on roads and pavements.

“Our ScootSafe campaign with the Police & Crime Commissioner, and more enforcement from operator Dott, will ban users who engage in two-up riding and issue fines for poor parking. These efforts, coupled with giving more people the option to use the e-bikes and e-scooters, should help strike a better balance for everyone.”

Councillor Chris Willmore, South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, Regeneration and Infrastructure, said:

“We’re really pleased that local people in Yate and Chipping Sodbury will now be able to experience this pilot scheme. We want to encourage people to have a go with these clean, green and cost-effective ways to get around their towns as an alternative to driving. We are also pleased to see the focus on making sure users of the scheme are safe, for themselves as well as other road users and pedestrians. We will be listening to feedback from the pilot before decisions are made about the future to make sure it works for local people.”

Iqbal Ahmed, Head of Public Policy UK/Ireland at Dott, said:

“We’re thrilled to bring our e-bikes and e-scooters to Yate and Chipping Sodbury, helping another 30,000 residents choose sustainable transport for their everyday journeys. As always, our focus remains to provide a safe and reliable service, and we are working hand in hand with the Mayoral Combined Authority and South Gloucestershire Council to ensure our vehicles are well-integrated into the community and safely used by everyone.”

The minimum age to hire an e-bike is 16. To ride an e-scooter, users must be 18 or over and have at least a provisional driving licence. When renting an e-scooter, a rider is bound by the Highway Code, the same as all road users.

All e-scooters are GPS-connected and equipped with registration plates so any misuse can be reported and investigated.

To find out more about the Yate and Chipping Sodbury trial, visit the dedicated page on Travelwest.

Press release by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority