RESIDENTS and visitors to Redcar and Marske can now enjoy the benefits of e-scooters as the clean energy and socially distanced mode of transport is rolled out in the area.

Rentable electric scooters are now available on Redcar seafront opposite the Palace Hub and at Windy Hill Lane Car Park, Marske and can be hired by anyone over the age of 18 with a full or provisional driving licence.

There are six e-scooters at each location to begin with and depending on demand and the success of the scheme there could be up to 50 by the end of the pilot. E-scooters will also be available at Redcar Central Station at a later date.

The electric scooters, which are banned on pavements, are limited to 11.5 mph and cost £2 to hire for 20 minutes. It is recommended that riders wear helmets.

The roll out of the pilot across the Tees Valley comes after the Government changed the legal status of e-scooters to allow them to be used on roads.

Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Cllr Mary Lanigan, said: “It is important that we explore different ways of people moving around in our towns and villages, now and in the future, and the e-scooters look like a really fun way to get about.

“Residents and visitors can travel around in a clean and cost-effective way, offering an alternative to other forms of public transport in the area.

“We are really excited to be part of this pilot scheme however I would like to appeal to the public to use the e-scooters responsibly and ensure that they follow the rules of the road at all times.”

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “I am pleased to see the latest phase of the e-scooter rollout across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool get under way with scooters hitting the streets of Redcar and Marske.

“These electric powered scooters offer a clean and cost-effective alternative to getting around town quickly and easily, and I look forward to further rollouts across the rest of the region as part of the trial in the coming weeks and months.”

Mike Millen, Chief Executive of the Redcar & Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency (RCVDA) who have the maintenance contract for the e-scooters said: “The RCVDA are committed to working towards a carbon neutral future for Redcar & Cleveland, working to promote environmentally sustainable transport and housing solutions so we are keen to support the e-scooter trial in the area.

“At a time when public transport capacity is limited, we need to look at innovative solutions to personal mobility and the e-scooter scheme could play a useful role in delivering this.”

Ginger, the UK based e-scooter company working in partnership with the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority, has designed the scheme’s infrastructure to provide a simple, cost-effective and reliable service aimed at enabling users to get from one location to another that would otherwise take too long or force people into their cars.

At the start of the trial each parking location will be strictly geo-fenced so users must leave their e-scooters in these locations at the end of the ride, otherwise they will continue to be charged.

Ginger will be responsible for the recharging of scooters and as the trial progresses, they will look at introducing on-street charging and docking locations.

Paul Hodgins, Chief Executive of Ginger said: “We are excited to be continuing our expansion of e-scooters across Tees Valley.

"We are proud to be doing so together in partnership with the RCVDA, who also run the Wheels 2 Work scheme. E-scooters, together with cycling, e-cargo bikes, and other small vehicle initiatives provide clean and efficient alternatives to car travel. But it is not only about green transport. The more small, lower speed vehicles that are on the streets, the safer they are, and the more liveable they are. These new e-vehicles are also a great way to get around and perfect for getting around Redcar, especially along the seafront.

"We’re keen to grow the number of vehicles as the pilot progresses and are sure Ginger's e-scooters will be just as popular with Redcar residents as they have been in Middlesbrough."

The pilot, which will run for a year, is being rolled out across all five boroughs of the Tees Valley. When fully operational up to 500 of the battery powered vehicles will be on the region’s roads and cycleways over the next 12 months.