PEOPLE could soon be getting around Newquay on controversial e-scooters.

E-bike company Beryl is looking to add 50 e-scooters and 75 e-bikes subject to Department for Transport approval.

E-scooters have proved popular and contentious in equal measure with detractors raising concerns about misuse and public safety.

But supporters argue they provide a quick, cheap, easy way to navigate urban areas, reduce reliance on cars, which can lower carbon emissions and help cut down on traffic congestion.

Devon & Cornwall Police confirmed that e-scooters are classed as motor vehicles. It is legal to use a rental e-scooter on a public road or cycle lane where a trial scheme is running, provided riders have the correct licence and follow road traffic regulations. It’s illegal to use privately-owned e-scooters in public spaces.

London and Bristol are currently the keenest users of e-scooters in the UK however, European cities including Paris and Prague have banned the vehicles in response to rising concerns over the number of people being injured and killed.

Mayor Drew Creek said: “I'm delighted to welcome the launch of Beryl e-scooters to Newquay, and I want to put on record my wholehearted support for this exciting next step in our town's sustainable transport journey.

“Beryl Bikes have been a genuine success story here. I've watched the scheme grow and become part of the fabric of Newquay, used by residents, visitors, and commuters alike and it's a testament to Beryl's commitment to this community that they're now bringing e-scooters to complement what they've already built.

“As someone who uses e-scooters regularly when I'm in Bristol, I can speak from personal experience about how transformative they are as a way of getting around. “They're intuitive, fun, and genuinely useful for those short journeys that would otherwise default to a car.

“In a town like Newquay, where parking pressure is real and our roads get busy in summer, that's exactly the kind of alternative we need.

“The evidence on safety is also reassuring and often surprises people.

“Research from over 30 million rental e-scooter journeys in the UK shows that regulated rental schemes have a lower casualty rate than e-bikes and five times lower than cycling in general.

“That's because operators like Beryl bring geofencing, speed limiting, maintenance standards, and insurance built in. This is not the wild west of private scooters it's a well-managed, proven system.

“I'd also highlight the accessibility point. E-scooters genuinely open up active travel to people who may find cycling difficult, whether due to fitness, confidence, or physical reasons. They lower the barrier to entry in a way that e-bikes, which can feel intimidating to some, don't always manage.

“That means more people making sustainable travel choices, and more cars left off our roads.

“As mayor of Newquay and as a Cornwall councillor, I look forward to working with Beryl and Cornwall Council to make this scheme a success and I'd encourage everyone to give it a go.”

Newquay central Cornwall councillor Joanna Kenny added: “These have worked well elsewhere, for example Bristol.

“Beryl bikes have been a real success in Newquay and there’s every reason to believe that these e-scooters will be too,

“I think they will be a real positive for Newquay particularly in the tourist season, provided of course people use them sensibly and obey the rules of the road.”

Penzance is scheduled to have 50 e-scooters alongside 50 bikes, Truro 25 e-scooters and 25 e-bikes while Falmouth would have 75 e-bikes and 50 e-scooters.

Cornwall Council and Beryl Bikes were contacted for comment.