NHS workers can scoot the commute following transport trial
NHS workers in Stafford are being offered free electric scooter rides as part of a trial scheme being rolled-out to the town 's County Hospital.
The county council 's e-scooter trial in Stafford has been expanded to the site after partnering with University of Hospitals North Midlands Trust (UHNM).
Staffordshire 's e-scooter trial launched in September as part of the £22.9 million ADEPT Smart Place Live Labs programme funded by the Department of Transport.
The Staffordshire Live Lab, run by the county council and its transport partner Amey, is designed to test new innovations that can radically improve mobility and air quality across the county. In Stafford the e-scooter trial is being operated by Ginger.
UHNM is the first NHS provider in the country to be part of an e-scooter trial. As one of the largest employers in the area UHMM is responsible for a large proportion of traffic and congestion each day - approximately 3.5 per cent (9.5 billion miles) of all road travel in England relates to patient, visitors, staff and suppliers to the NHS.
Jessica Brownsword, sustainability manager at UHNM, said: “UHNM is extremely pleased to be working in partnership with Staffordshire County Council during this trial of electric scooters.
"By participating, UHNM will demonstrate leadership in sustainable travel as we will be the first hospital to have a parking bay on site. This makes it easier for visitors to choose a healthier journey and encouraging staff to choose greener and more active travel options.
“Being a part of this innovative trial goes a long way towards achieving our travel plan objectives and improving local air quality, a key focus for all Staffordshire authorities, through reducing our contribution to carbon emissions from petrol and diesel vehicles coming to site. ”
Staffordshire County Council 's cabinet member for highways and transport David Williams said: “Our electric scooter trials in Stafford has been a great success since its launch last September, offering a safe alternative and green transport option for people.
“It has gradually been rolled-out to different parts of town and we 're pleased to see new bays installed at County Hospital with support from the NHS Trust. The operator Ginger is offering free scooter rides to NHS employees as a mark of gratitude for the tremendous work they have been doing for us. This is obviously a busy site with many people traveling to it and so this was a logical step."
The public trial in Staffordshire will form part of the Department for Transport trials that were approved by the Government in July. Working in collaboration with the county council, Amey, Stafford and Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Councils as well as with Ginger and Zwings, over 150 e-scooters have now been brought to the streets of Staffordshire.