Legalise use of e-scooters on public roads, says Transport Secretary

Privately owned e-scooters cannot be legally ridden on roads or pavements
Privately owned e-scooters cannot be legally ridden on roads or pavements - Yui Mok/PA Wire

E-scooters should be made legal to ride on the roads, a Government minister has said.

Louise Haigh, the Transport Secretary, indicated on Wednesday that the Government intends to legalise the use of private e-scooters on public roads.

At present, privately owned e-scooters cannot be legally ridden on roads or pavements because they fall under the same laws as motorbikes and cars.

However, a number of Government-backed schemes that have been taking place since summer 2020 are exempt from this.

E-scooter situation has been left ‘for too long’

Ms Haigh said on Wednesday that introducing regulations to legalise e-scooter use by the wider public is “clearly required”.

Asked by the Commons’ transport select committee if she plans to introduce legislation regulating the use of e-scooters, Ms Haigh replied: “We’ve not got parliamentary time in this session or a relevant Bill that could be used to regulate e-scooters, but we will look to legislate, absolutely.

“It’s clearly required. It’s not good enough that it’s been left in this situation for too long.”

The Cabinet minister added that e-scooters could be a “really effective part of an integrated transport strategy”, especially by easing journeys for some people with reduced mobility.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has insisted e-scooters could be a 'really effective part' of integrated transport strategy, despite concerns over safety, parking and litter
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has insisted e-scooters could be a ‘really effective part’ of integrated transport strategy, despite concerns over safety, parking and litter - Hollie Adams/Reuters

But she warned there are “undoubtedly issues around parking and around street litter”, and stressed the need to “really carefully analyse what journeys they are replacing, and the behavioural impact of e-scooters”.

Plans to fully legalise e-scooters were included in the Queen’s Speech in 2022, but weeks later Boris Johnson was forced out of No 10 and the promise never made it any further.

The vehicles are currently restricted to the same speed as e-bikes – 15.5mph – and are only available for hire by persons over the age of 18.

Department for Transport figures show 11 riders and one pedestrian died in e-scooter crashes in Britain in 2022.

A further 1,480 injuries were recorded, including 1,138 riders, 232 pedestrians and 50 cyclists.

Despite Government-supported trials of rental e-scooter fleets in towns and cities around the country over the last few years, several companies have pulled out of the UK entirely.

In August insurance company Zego, the industry’s main insurer, left the UK in part owing to uncertainty about the future of e-scooters.

Another insurer, Dott, pulled out of London in March after saying the rise of unregulated e-bikes meant it was no longer “financially sustainable” to continue operating in the capital.

A number of e-scooter providers have also collapsed in the last few years.