MORE then 1,000 journeys were completed in the first week of Taunton's 12-month e-scooter trial.

A total of 1,607 users have registered to use the scooters in the trial run by Somerset West and Taunton Council with operator Zipp Mobility.

And Zipp has installed three parking bays at Musgrove Park Hospital and extended the operating hours to 6.30am to 10.30pm to meet staff needs.

Cllr Peter Pilkington, SWT executive member for climate, said: “e-scooters are the perfect way to travel for those who need to access work and essential services or supplies at this difficult time.

"I am particularly pleased that we have been able to make arrangements for our key workers to travel safely and easily as they continue to provide frontline services for us all.

"I am really encouraged by the success of this scheme so far and would like to thank everyone who has used a scooter to date and returned them neatly to a designated parking bay."

Up to November 8, 607 people completed 1,019 rides, travelling a total 2,727 miles over 577 hours and 44 minutes.

People are charged £1 to unlock scooters from parking bays around Taunton and 10p a minutes after that using the apps.apple.com/ie/developer/zipp-mobility-limited/id1526255915

When you finish your ride, simply return it to any parking bay around town.

The e-scooters, only allowed on roads, cycle lanes and cycle tracks, work inside permitted areas at a maximum 13.5mph, while there are also slower zones.

Zipp Mobility chief executive Charlie Gleeson said: "We are over the moon with the ridership levels we have seen in Taunton so far.

"They prove to us how beneficial a shared e-scooter scheme is to the local community and we are excited and optimistic to see how this trial turns out over the next 12 months."

To ride an e-scooter, you must be over 16 with a provisional or full driving licence.

Richard McKiernan, traffic management officer at Avon and Somerset Police, said: "Only e-scooters rented as part of the trial are legal to use on the road. The use of privately owned e-scooters in public places remains unlawful."