By Jason Lewis, Local Democracy Reporter
A raft of new parking bays for rental e-scooters and e-bikes could be introduced on the east side of Southampton.
Article continues after this message...
The city council has launched a consultation on proposals for 25 on-street locations.
If approved, the work to introduce the bays would be paid for using Department for Transport (DfT) funding through the Solent Future Transport Zone initiative.
Labour council leaders said the proposed locations have been chosen to respect road safety, with risk assessments carried out.
Provider Voi’s rental e-scooters were rolled out in Southampton as part of the DfT’s national e-scooter trial in early 2021, marking the start of micromobility schemes in the city.
Since July 2024, Voi has operated a hire scheme for both e-scooters and e-bikes, with riders having to park in the designated zones at the end of their journey.
The council said the use of the hire scheme had seen significant growth across the city, with 250,000 rides taking place from April to June this year.
Cllr Christie Lambert, cabinet member for transport, said parking location density was one of the key aspects to the success of micromobility projects.
She said the density was currently “significantly lower” on the east side of the city.
“The proposed bays have been individually positioned to respect road safety with a risk assessment being carried out for each location,” Cllr Lambert said.
“Learnings have also been taken from the existing on-street parking bays in the city which, to date, have experienced similar levels of parking compliance to the city’s footway parking bays, with over 95 per cent compliance.
“In replacing parking bays from footway locations, on-street parking provides improved safety for vulnerable pedestrians, such as those with visual impairments, wheelchair users and pushchairs users.
“However, we are keen to hear local people’s views so that we can benefit from their local knowledge which is the purpose of the traffic regulation order consultation.”
&
The roads where e-scooter and e-bike hire bays have been proposed are:
Acacia Road
Appleton Road
Ash Tree Road
Burgoyne Road
Byron Road
Copsewood Road
Farringford Road
Garton Road
Jameson Road
Kenson Gardens
Manor Farm Road
Melbourne Street (Central Trading Estate)
Merridale Road
Merryoak Road
Midanbury Lane
Middle Road
Orpen Road
Ruby Road
Shooters Hill Close
Solent Avenue
South East Road
Stoddart Avenue
Wellington Road
Whitworth Crescent
Wodehouse Road
Details about the consultation, including submitting a response, can be found at transport.southampton.gov.uk/tro-consultations
This article is from the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Some alterations/additions may have been made by our site - a BBC Local News Partnerships member. BBC-funded LDRS journalists cover local authorities and public service organisations, with content shared by all partners.