Transport Secretary Louise Haigh acknowledged that introducing regulations for electric scooters is "clearly necessary." Currently, private e-scooters are not permitted on roads or pavements in the UK, though they have become increasingly common, especially in urban areas. Since July 2020, rental e-scooter trials have been underway in various towns and cities across England.
Louise haigh emphasized that e-scooters could play a significant role in an integrated transport strategy, particularly benefiting those with accessibility needs. However, she also highlighted concerns, particularly regarding parking and street clutter, stressing the importance of analysing the journeys e-scooters are replacing and their broader impact.
According to Department for Transport data, 11 riders and one pedestrian died in e-scooter-related incidents in Britain in 2022. Additionally, 1480 injuries were reported, including 1138 riders, 232 pedestrians and 50 cyclists.
Safety charity IAM Roadsmart has welcomed the move but urged caution. "We know that around half of all casualties involving e-scooters are outside of trial areas, which demonstrates the ‘wild west’ nature of private e-scooter misuse that is happening on our roads and pavements," says IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes.
"While we cautiously welcome plans to legalise their use, it must be accompanied by minimum type approval device standards, speed limiters and proposals for riders to have a minimum level of competency prior to using these devices on the road," he adds.