Electric scooter hire scheme trial reaches 10,000 rides in Milton Keynes - and it's only been going a month

Spin e-scooters have proved a real hit with Milton Keynes residents since its launch - reaching the key milestone of 10,000 rides.

Set up as a trial in August in partnership with Milton Keynes Council, the e-scooter rental company initially placed 100 scooters on the streets for residents to use - but quickly had to scale up to 300 scooters.

This milestone has come about faster than Spin had forecast - and with 3,500 users recorded, it means you are guys keep coming back for more. And the only gripe has been complaints of irresponsible parking.

Spin's data also shows that around 41 per cent of e-scooter trips directly replace car travel in MK..

To take a trip, riders can download the Spin App on their smartphone and start their trip for £0.25 per minute. The scooters can also be used on the Redways.

Working closely with Milton Keynes Council Spin also plans to give away hundreds of free helmets to residents as well as an online safety course. Riders can receive a £5 discount if they take an online quiz testing them on the rules.

But there have been some limited reports of irresponsible parking - which Milton Keynes Council and Spin are looking at resolving.

Steve Pyer, UK general manager at Spin, said: “We were very excited to bring the first of our UK e-scooter fleets to Milton Keynes in August and, following a highly-encouraging response from local riders, it is exceptionally positive to see this rapid rate of adoption for this great alternative to car travel. We will continue to work closely with Milton Keynes Council to ensure continued success. This is the first of many Spin e-scooter trials across the UK as part of our firm commitment to fully integrate e-scooters into local transport ecosystems.”

Cllr Lauren Townsend, cabinet member for sustainability, said: “We’re delighted that our residents are embracing Spin’s e-scooters. We have a great track record on trialling new technologies here in Milton Keynes, and we’re excited at the potential for e-scooters to keep people out of their cars, cut emissions, and keep our air clean – a key part of our ambitious plans to make MK a leading green city.”