Southampton City Council will move to single operator for rental e-scooters and cycles

People will benefit from streamlined transport options in Southampton as plans to offer a single operator for rental e-scooters and cycles in the city, and the wider Solent area, are approved.

Southampton City Council discussed and agreed proposals to offer more integrated transport options by moving towards a single operator for both the rental cycles and e-scooters, funded by Department for Transport (DfT) via the Solent Future Transport Zone.

Currently, Beryl manages rental bicycles and e-bikes in Southampton, while Voi operates rental e-scooters. Since the launch of the Beryl Bikes by Breeze scheme in Southampton, ridership has steadily grown, but consolidating both rental bike and e-scooter services under one supplier will allow the operator to realise economies of scale.

This could enable the scheme to be more commercially viable across the city, as well as more flexible in meeting demand during different seasons. At the same meeting, councillors agreed to extend the rental e-scooter trial until 31 May 2026, to align with the Department for Transport's (DfT) new end date for national trials.

Rental e-scooters have become popular for short journeys in Southampton and recent surveys show their importance in reducing car trips and cutting down carbon emissions, indicating that around half of Voi rental e-scooter trips would otherwise have been made by car.

Extending the trial will enable the council to continue to meet the objectives of its recently adopted Climate Change Strategy and gather essential data, crucial for decision-making at local and national levels concerning the future of e-scooters.

Anyone wishing to rent an e-scooter, pedal bike, or electric bike can do this easily through the Breeze travel app. To rent an e-scooter in Southampton all users must have a provisional driving licence and be 18 years old or above, and they can only be used on the road and or selected shared use paths.

Privately-owned e-scooters remain illegal, except on private land and with the landowner’s permission.