Legalise electric scooters to help make London 'greener' after lockdown, campaigners urge

Electric scooters should be legalised and allowed to use cycle lanes in London, cycling campaigners said today.

A report by the London Cycling Campaign said e-scooters, e-bikes and e-cargo bikes should all be welcomed and could play a key role in a “greener” future for the capital post-lockdown.

But the LCC said e-scooters, which are currently illegal to use on public roads, must not be allowed on pavements.

In the absence of a comprehensive network of segregated lanes, they would have “parity” with cyclists in terms of being able to use the road.

It said increased pressure on cycle routes was “not a bad thing” as it demonstrated the need for more road space reallocation.

It comes as Transport for London chiefs said they remained concern about the lack of safety for e-scooter users but said they were keen for the capital, and the 33 boroughs, to shape the national policy on their use.

It is currently illegal to use e-scooters on pavements or public roads. Riders face a £300 fixed penalty notice and six points on their licence for using a motor vehicle with no insurance.

A Government trial of e-scooter rental scheme is due to launch this month but this is only open to people who hold a driving licence.

YouTube start Emily Hartridge, 35, died in a collision with an HGV in Battersea last July while riding an e-scooter.

Today’s report, Micromobility and Active Travel in the UK, by the LCC’s policy forum, draws on international evidence on the increasing use of the battery-powered scooters, some of which can travel in excess of 20mph.

LCC said that a “micromobility coalition” of cyclists, e-scooter riders, e-bikers and firms using e-cargo bikes could together form a powerful voice calling for a wider network of segregated cycle lanes.

It said: “The arrival of e-scooters offers a cleaner, low carbon alternative to cars… for those who can’t or don’t want to cycle, that will help clean up London’s air and tackle climate change.”

“[It] would help create the less polluted, climate safe streets that urban dwellers want to see post-pandemic. It would cut private motor car use and enable more and a wider range of people to move about without using motor vehicles.”

The research said e-scooter riders faced similar safety risks from cars and lorries as cyclists. It said a “more equitable distribution of road space” was required for a “humane city”.

The sheer number of e-scooter trips worldwide suggested it was not a “fad”. Global data suggests that the biggest shift to e-scooters is likely from car drivers (36 per cent) and pedestrians (37 per cent), with a lower shift from public transport (13 per cent) and cycling (nine per cent).

E-scooter riders have the same preferences as cyclists: low-speed streets and in segregated lanes.

“Increased use of cycle tracks by e-scooter users could increase the pressure on transport authorities to provide appropriate protected space for micromobility users including those cycling – and these forms would all be far more space efficient and safer than driving,” the report said.

TfL road chief Gareth Powell told yesterday’s TfL board meeting: “We have been concerned for some time about the safety of e-scooters and they remain illegal on London and national roads at present.

“However the Department for Transport is bringing forward a series of trials for rental e-scooters – that is not for private individuals to go and purchase them and use them on the roads. They are discussing with us and others how that might apply.

“We are keen in London to make sure we can shape how e-scooters might be applied onto London streets. We are working with the London boroughs in order for TfL to adopt a co-ordinating role, so that we don’t have widespread disparity across the capital. We also want to make sure they work well with our existing [cycling] infrastructure.”

The report is due to be discussed at a webinar starting at 11:30am on Friday.

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