Several electric scooter trials have been taking place in cities across the UK to test the integration of the transport mode and ensure that the Government can make an informed decision about regulation.
The Department for Transport has overseen 31 trials in UK counties and unitary authorities, since the summer of 2020, with some extended until May 2024.
Speaking at a transport select committee meeting on Wednesday, May 17, Minister of State for Decarbonisation and Technology Jesse Norman said that the trials have “yielded a great deal of information and insight as to how people are using e-scooters”.
He said that the next stage of development for the e-scooter market will be to lay down regulations.
He explained: “The trials have shown that we do need to think about issues of helmet use and insurance and safety-related matters.”
READ MORE: E-scooters could be removed from UK roads after Paris votes for ban
It is currently illegal in Britain to ride an electric scooter in public areas, including on roads, pavements and cycle lanes, unless they are part of a Government-backed trial.
The future of the transportation method remains uncertain and earlier this year e-scooter provider Voi called on the Government to make up its mind.
Voi UK’s head of public policy, Matthew Pencharz, told the Transport Select Committee on February 8: “Almost three years after the trials were first started, the demand for e-scooters is proven with Voi alone having 21 million rides, replacing over 8 million car journeys.
“However, the industry doesn’t have certainty after May next year when the trials are currently due to end. Legislation will allow more cities and towns to use e-scooters as a sustainable method of transport for their communities, providing a firmer footing for the industry and the jobs and investment connected with it.”
Data from the Department for Transport has shown that in comparison to cyclists, e-scooter users are three times more likely to be injured.
The figures show there were 1,349 crashes between June 2021 and 2022 involving e-scooters, up from 978 crashes the year before.
The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) has recorded 32 deaths involving e-scooters since 2019.
So what do YOU think? Should e-scooters be banned from Briton’s streets? Vote in our poll and join the debate in the comment section below.
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