MORE than 700 journeys have been taken by e-Scooter in the first week of their launch on the Isle of Wight.

Since Beryl launched its e-Scooter share scheme fleet of 25 e-Scooters, they have travelled more than 4,000km and been used for over 700 journeys.

The e-Scooters are available to hire through the free Beryl app and can be picked up and dropped off in marked Beryl Bays across Newport.

Each bay has been selected and approved in conjunction with the Isle of Wight Council, Island Roads and Hampshire Police.

Beryl has also worked with both RNIB and Sight for Wight in the implementation of the scheme.

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The Beryl Bays are positioned at key locations and transport hubs in Newport such as Town Lane, Carisbrooke Road and St Mary’s Hospital.

Islanders will see the number of e-Scooters in Newport double by the end of this week, from 25 to 50, while plans are being made to roll-out a further 100 and extend the service area into Cowes and Ryde.

Through Beryl’s GPS tracking solutions and data platform they are providing the Isle of Wight Council with valuable data insights on how e-Scooters are being used.

Data from the first week reveals that each e-Scooter is used up to seven times per day.

Beryl e-Scooters are capped at a top speed of 12.5mph and in adherence with the law are only allowed on the road, not on pavements.

All riders are required to provide a UK-valid provisional or full driving licence to use them.

Anyone caught fraudulently riding with another person’s licence will be banned indefinitely and could face police action.

Philip Ellis, Beryl chief executive, said: “It has been amazing to see how Islanders have adopted the e-Scooter share scheme in such a short space of time by using it to make journeys in and around Newport.

"The e-Scooters have made travelling around both easier and healthier for local people, and the local environment will benefit from reduced pollution and better air quality.

“Since e-Scooters are still relatively new to the region, there are lessons to be learned. Beryl is working closely with the Isle of Wight Council, Solent Transport, Island Roads and Hampshire Police to promote safe use and that maximise the benefits of e-Scooters.”