Brighton and Hove e-scooter plan divides opinion

A possible e-scooter trial in Brighton and Hove has sparked mixed opinions.

Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex in the city, resident Stephen Adams said he was worried about public safety as e-scooters were "already running riot".

He said people were "going to just get hammered... then you're in hospital with either a smashed leg, fractured skull or worse".

But Kate Porter said it was a "very good idea" and "we just have to have some rules and regulations about it".

"They use them extensively in Europe very successfully," she told BBC Radio Sussex.

Councillors are set to meet on Thursday to discuss an e-scooter hire scheme, which could be launched as early as this summer.

The trial is set to involve 400 e-scooters, available to hire from 37 hubs, mainly along the seafront and in key transport corridors, according to Brighton & Hove City Council.

Councillor Trevor Muten said safety was a priority for the local authority.

"The safety features of our scheme go above and beyond what most other trials are doing," he said.

"E-scooters would be a positive addition to Brighton & Hove, providing residents and visitors with a handy and affordable way to get around, reducing car use and improving the city's air quality."

The council has said that only people aged 17 and over and holding a minimum of a provisional driving licence will be able to hire an e-scooter.

They will have a maximum speed of 12.5 mph, which will be limited to 6.5 mph between midnight and 05:00 Monday to Friday.

A curfew will mean e-scooters cannot be hired between the hours of midnight and 05:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

E-scooters will not be allowed on pavements and can also only be ridden on the road, in cycle lanes or in shared spaces.

Neil Watts told BBC Sussex that sometimes e-scooters went a "bit too fast".

"They are reckless, but on the whole I don't mind," he added.

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