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The Transport Committee is launching a consultation into e-scooters, looking not just at their legality and safety, but also what impact they could have on congestion and emissions.
The Department for Transport (DfT) is already holding a consultation on the potential use of e-scooters in the UK, and the Transport Committee’s investigation is set to complement this.
The Parliamentary committee intends to consider whether e-scooters should be allowed on the UK’s roads, cycle lanes or possibly even pavements, any of which would require a change in the law.
The DfT’s consultation is expected to be followed by a trial period, where it will need to be demonstrated that e-scooters are safe and can be regulated. It’s expected that e-scooters would be restricted to 15.5mph before being allowed on UK roads – the fastest e-scooters on the market have a top speed of around 40mph. Riders may also be required to wear a helmet, which is not mandatory for cyclists.
At present, e-scooters can be legally purchased in the UK but are banned from public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, effectively restricting their use to private land. This doesn’t stop some people illegally riding them in public, though. The use of e-scooters on public roads is legal in most European countries, with users tending to rent them via various smartphone applications rather than buying them.
In July 2019, a 35-year-old woman was killed while riding an e-scooter when she collided with a lorry in Battersea. The following day, a 14-year-old boy crashed his PLEV (Personal Electronic Vehicle) into a bus shelter and suffered a serious head injury.
These events led to a Metropolitan Police crackdown on the use of PLEVs. According to PA, almost 100 people were caught riding e-scooters on public roads during the week commencing 22 July 2019. Most were given a warning, but 10 were reportedly fined for additional offences, such as going too fast or running a red light.
Then, in August 2019, Transport for London called on the Government to legalise the use of e-scooters on public roads while also introducing certain restrictions for them, including a 12mph speed limit and rules around where they can be parked.
Huw Merriman MP, chair of the Transport Committee, said that e-scooters “could be a useful lever to reduce our transport carbon footprint, but their environmental credentials have yet to be proven”.
He added to this by saying it would be an “own goal” if people used e-scooters instead of walking, and pointed out that safety was a “significant consideration”.
Edmund King, president of the AA, commented: “Lighting regulations, weight limits, braking capability and maintenance programmes should be considered, as well as where they [e-scooters] can be used.”
He continued: “More than half of drivers believe that e-scooters should only be used on dedicated cycle lanes, but it would be unrealistic for users to have to hop on and off between lanes. Getting the right balance may prove tricky, but it doesn’t mean lawmakers shouldn’t try.”
Do you think electric scooters should be legalised? Let us know in the comments below...
Continue reading...
The Department for Transport (DfT) is already holding a consultation on the potential use of e-scooters in the UK, and the Transport Committee’s investigation is set to complement this.
The Parliamentary committee intends to consider whether e-scooters should be allowed on the UK’s roads, cycle lanes or possibly even pavements, any of which would require a change in the law.
The DfT’s consultation is expected to be followed by a trial period, where it will need to be demonstrated that e-scooters are safe and can be regulated. It’s expected that e-scooters would be restricted to 15.5mph before being allowed on UK roads – the fastest e-scooters on the market have a top speed of around 40mph. Riders may also be required to wear a helmet, which is not mandatory for cyclists.
At present, e-scooters can be legally purchased in the UK but are banned from public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, effectively restricting their use to private land. This doesn’t stop some people illegally riding them in public, though. The use of e-scooters on public roads is legal in most European countries, with users tending to rent them via various smartphone applications rather than buying them.
In July 2019, a 35-year-old woman was killed while riding an e-scooter when she collided with a lorry in Battersea. The following day, a 14-year-old boy crashed his PLEV (Personal Electronic Vehicle) into a bus shelter and suffered a serious head injury.
These events led to a Metropolitan Police crackdown on the use of PLEVs. According to PA, almost 100 people were caught riding e-scooters on public roads during the week commencing 22 July 2019. Most were given a warning, but 10 were reportedly fined for additional offences, such as going too fast or running a red light.
Then, in August 2019, Transport for London called on the Government to legalise the use of e-scooters on public roads while also introducing certain restrictions for them, including a 12mph speed limit and rules around where they can be parked.
Huw Merriman MP, chair of the Transport Committee, said that e-scooters “could be a useful lever to reduce our transport carbon footprint, but their environmental credentials have yet to be proven”.
He added to this by saying it would be an “own goal” if people used e-scooters instead of walking, and pointed out that safety was a “significant consideration”.
Edmund King, president of the AA, commented: “Lighting regulations, weight limits, braking capability and maintenance programmes should be considered, as well as where they [e-scooters] can be used.”
He continued: “More than half of drivers believe that e-scooters should only be used on dedicated cycle lanes, but it would be unrealistic for users to have to hop on and off between lanes. Getting the right balance may prove tricky, but it doesn’t mean lawmakers shouldn’t try.”
Do you think electric scooters should be legalised? Let us know in the comments below...
Continue reading...