Ellie Ames 24 July 2023

Government urged to set date for e-scooter legislation

Government urged to set date for e-scooter legislation image
Image: Akaberka / Shutterstock.com.

More than 50 organisations, including six local authorities, have signed a letter calling on the Government to legalise e-scooters.

Rental e-scooters are only available through Government trials, due to end in May 2024, in some towns and cities in England. It is illegal to use private e-scooters on public roads.

Richard Dilks, chief executive of Collaborative Mobility UK, said: ‘The evidence from the trials is that e-scooters are incredibly popular, with huge demand from users, and the UK has been left as an international outlier by not introducing permanent legality.

‘To address the crisis levels of transport emissions in the UK and help people save money amid the cost-of-living crisis, the government can’t delay any further.’

Essex County Council, Milton Keynes City Council, Somerset Council, North Northamptonshire Council, West Northamptonshire Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority have all signed the letter.

The signatories also raised concerns about an estimated 750,000 privately owned and unregulated e-scooters in the UK, which they said were unlikely to undergo regular maintenance or have Government-mandated safety features.

The letter said private e-scooters were a concern for road users, particularly disabled people, and could be unsafe for riders – but said legislation and regulation could make a difference.

Mike Bell, head of public affairs and campaigns at Thomas Pocklington Trust, a national charity working with blind and partially sighted people, said: ‘Unregulated and illegal private e-scooters are terrorising visually impaired pedestrians and many other people on our pavements.'

Mr Bell said the Government urgently needed to ‘regulate the market for both private and rental e-scooters in favour of those responsible companies actively building in safety and street etiquette.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Contracts and Projects Manager

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
Starting Salary from £48,873 based on Skills Kn
Job Title Contracts & Projects... Richmond & Wandsworth, London
Recuriter: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth

Contracts and Projects Officer

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
Starting Salary from £40,737 based on Skills Kn
Job Title Contracts & Projects... Richmond & Wandsworth, London
Recuriter: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth

Director of Neighbourhood Services and Communities

Essex County Council
Negotiable
Director of Neighbourhood Services and Communities - Maldon District CouncilMaldon District CouncilPermanent, Full TimeUp to £88,700 per annumLocation England, Essex, Maldon
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Casual Duty Managers (Sports Centres)

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth
£14.28 per hour plus 12.07% holiday relief pay al
Casual Duty Managers (Sports Centres)
Recuriter: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and London Borough of Wandsworth

Community Support Worker - Centralised Safeguarding Triage

Essex County Council
£25395.00 - £32131.00 per annum + +26 Days Leave & Local Gov Pension
Community Support Worker - Centralised Safeguarding TriagePermanent, Full Time£25,395 to £32,131 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council
Linkedin Banner