E-Scooter Trials within the West Midlands

Descriptions

West Midland Combined Authority (WMCA) and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) are pleased to invite bidders to take part in an exciting opportunity to run an E-scooter Trial within the West Midlands (Trial). In a wider initiative to promote walking and cycling as part of a green and healthy recovery from COVID 19 the Secretary of State for Transport announced the acceleration of E-Scooter trials planned for 2021. This Trial represents an opportunity to understand the potential role of electric scooters in the mobility ecosystem of the West Midlands. The Department for Transport (DfT) issued further guidance for undertaking E-scooter trials on the 8 June 2020 and this guidance and any subsequent national guidance and/or legislation will also directly inform the design, implementation and operation of the Trial. Please see below link to DfT legislation and eScooter guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/e-scooter-trials-guidance-for-local-areas-and-rental-operators/ The opportunity is a concession arrangement to operate an E-scooter trial in the West Midlands Combined Authority area. The concession arrangement is below the threshold for the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016 (CCR2016) and accordingly the WMCA and TfWM have elected to issue an OJEU notice voluntarily in order to facilitate cross border interest in the Trial. The procurement process will adhere to the relevant principles of the CCR2016 and the procurement timetable and process itself is predicated on an equitable but flexible approach. The scope of the Trial is comprised of a Core Trial Area and Additional Trial Area. The outcome of this procurement is to appoint one or a maximum of two operators to initiate the Trial in the Core Trial Area. Should the WMCA and TfWM be minded to expand the Trial to the Additional Trial Area the selected operator(s) appointed will be requested to extended operations subject to the appropriate contractual mechanisms being observed. The Core Trial Area comprises the following three Zones: • Zone 1 - Birmingham (1 trial area in Zone) • Zone 2 - Coventry, Kenilworth & Solihull (2 trial areas contained in the Zone) • Zone 3 - Wolverhampton, Walsall & Sandwell (3 trial areas contained in the Zone) Each of the Zones has designated trial areas. It is possible that further trial areas may be added to one or more of the Zones during the course of the arrangement at the discretion of the WMCA and TfWM. The Additional Trial Area comprises: • Dudley • Warwick & Leamington • West Birmingham extension also linking to Sandwell area. • Other as yet unspecified areas within the West Midlands Combined Authority constituent or non-constituent authority areas