Gov agrees e-scooters should be kept off pavements
Today, the Transport Committee published the Government’s Response to its report, "E-scooters: pavement nuisance or transport innovation?".
In its October report, the Committee called for swift action to legalise the use of private e-scooters on roads and cycle lanes.
Around thirty trials of rental e-scooters are underway across the UK, running until Autumn 2021. The Department for Transport says it will use this information, the Committee’s report and further findings from wider public stakeholder engagement to inform a decision on whether and how e-scooters might be legalised. The monitoring and evaluation contract has been awarded and conversations with several external stakeholders such as vulnerable road users are already taking place.
The use of e-scooters on pavements was of prime concern for witnesses during the inquiry. Agreeing with the Committee’s call for robust enforcement measures, today’s response makes clear that pavement use will remain illegal. The Department says it is monitoring measures being used by operators in the trials including camera sensors, onboard sensor devices and geo-fencing technology. This can also reduce the hazard of street clutter.
Pavements are for people, not e-scooters. It’s positive that the Government has accepted the Committee’s recommendations to keep e-scooters banned from pavements in non-trial areas, to look at speed limits and to evaluate the clutter and risk they cause, particularly to disabled pedestrians. We need robust police enforcement against dangerous riders, including fines and confiscation of private e-scooters which are increasingly used for antisocial behaviour and criminal activity.