E-scooters have been in use on the Isle of Wight for just over a year, after their November 2020 introduction in Newport.
Beryl, who have the contract to run the trial on the Island, have shared with News OnTheWight the results of their survey of users.
We’ve been through and picked out the parts we thought you’d find interesting.
Age of users
You might expect that it would be the young using scooters on the Isle of Wight – Not so, says Beryl’s research. This is in sharp contrast to where we’ve seen e-scooters being used on the Mainland, where it’s predominantly younger people using them.
Based on responses from those completing the survey:
| Age | Amount |
|---|---|
| 16-24 | 9 per cent |
| 25-34 | 15 per cent |
| 35-44 | 19 per cent |
| 45-54 | 23 per cent |
| 55-64 | 30 per cent |
| 65+ | 6 per cent |
Gender split is perhaps not that surprising: 64 per cent male and 32 per cent female.
Reasons to use
One figure that jumped out to us was that 79 per cent have used a Beryl vehicle to replace a car, van or taxi journey (either as a driver or passenger). 32 per cent also said they have reduced their usage of cars.
Isle of Wight taxi drivers might be less keen to hear that 40 per cent said they have reduced their usage of taxis.
Seven per cent have connected with a ferry and the same for a bus journey.
Journey types
| Reason | Usage |
|---|---|
| Leisure / Social | 41% |
| Errands | 17% |
| Shopping | 15% |
| Full commute | 8% |
| Commuting to/from station | 6% |
| Business | 6% |
| Tourism | 5% |
| Education / School run | 1% |
Other transport sharing?
Perhaps with an eye on their future expansion of services, Beryl included the following:
- 69 per cent of users are open to using shared e-bikes
- 50 per cent are open to using shared pedal bikes
- 45 per cent are open to using shared cargo bikes
- 49 per cent are open to shared e-mopeds
Article edit
8.45am 22nd Dec 2021 – For clarity, “Based on responses from those completing the survey” added
