City's e-scooter hire scheme to return

E-scooters will soon be available to hire in Nottingham again, it has been confirmed.

The city has been taking part in a government-backed trial offering the rental of e-scooters since October 2020.

But its network went offline and the machines were removed from the streets in December 2023 after provider Superpedestrian shut down its UK operations.

On Wednesday, Nottingham City Council said about 1,300 e-scooters would be returning in early spring.

The new scheme - set to be operated by Dott - will see blue and red e-scooters be available to hire from about 300 locations across the city, the authority said.

"Key lessons around parking have been learnt from previous e-scooter trials," it added.

Original parking spots have been audited and reviewed, and any found not to be meeting the council's criteria will not be reactivated.

The e-scooters will be fitted with technology that will prevent them from operating outside the city boundaries - something the authority said would also allow it to create "low speed" or "no-go" zones.

Council leader Neghat Khan said: "We are thrilled that e-scooters are returning to Nottingham, providing a convenient, sustainable, and affordable transport option.

"By offering an alternative to car journeys, e-scooters will play a key role in easing congestion and lowering harmful emissions in our city.

"This aligns with our commitment to improving air quality and promoting greener travel for all our residents and visitors."

Peadar Golden, UK general manager at Dott, added: "We are very excited to work with Nottingham City Council to provide another efficient and sustainable transport solution to get people out of their cars."

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