On-road parking bays for both Voi e-scooters and Beryl Bikes by Breeze have just been installed in Southampton (UK), the first multi-operator carriageway parking outside of London.
These bays aim to substitute sidewalk parking with road parking to ensure that walkways remain uncluttered for pedestrians. A single car parking spot can accommodate as many as 12 micromobility vehicles at each of the designated locations.
The trial locations were identified after close work between the operators, Southampton City Council and the Solent Future Transport Zone partnership. After analysis of carriageway parking across the UK and Europe to find the most appropriate option for Southampton, they landed on a painted bay with a parking corral for busier locations and a painted bay with bollards for quieter locations.
The parking corrals have the branding of Breeze, the Mobility-as-a-Service app for the Solent region, which lets users locate and hire Voi and Beryl vehicles as well as plan journeys and purchase tickets for other transport modes.
According to Solent Transport Manager’s Conrad Haigh, this is a trend UK citizens can expect to see more of.
“Solent Transport and its partner authorities are pleased to be showing the way in the implementation of carriageway parking bays for micromobility.
“From our own conversations with the West of England Combined Authority and other transport authorities at the Como UK Shared Transport Forum, we know they will be watching closely to understand what benefits on-street parking offers and what lessons can be learned from the pioneering work in the Solent region. Through careful consultation with residents and partners, there is the potential to see this type of parking for micromobility become more commonplace, not just in the Solent Future Transport Zone, but across the country.”
Establishing micromobility parking facilities that are both safe and easily accessible is a fundamental requirement for developing a sustainable transportation plan that prioritises the convenience of walkers and cyclists of all abilities.
“We at Southampton Sight are delighted to hear our continued concerns regarding parking bays on pavements for e-scooters and e-bikes are being positively addressed,” said the local charity supporting sight loss.
“Working towards the establishment of carriageway parking is an important step to ensure an obstacle-free pavement, which is essential for people living with sight loss, but is also essential in guiding the mindset of e scooter users away from our pavements and onto the roads.”
The parking bays are located on Redbridge Hill, Wordsworth Road, Church Street, Clarendon Road, Bellevue Road, Lawn Road, Priory Avenue and Cumbrian Way.
