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Select Committee · Transport Committee

E-scooters

Status: Closed Opened: 21 Apr 2020 Closed: 15 Jan 2021 21 recommendations 6 conclusions 1 report

E-scooters: pavement nuisance or transport innovation? The Transport Committee is launching an inquiry to explore the safety and legal implications of electric scooters, their impact on congestion, and potential contribution to reducing the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, ahead of the Government’s obligations to reach net zero by 2050. The Transport Committee’s short inquiry on this … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report: E-scooters: pavement nuisance or transport in… HC 255 2 Oct 2020 27 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
1 Recommendation Third Report: E-scooters: pavement nuis… Accepted in Part

Privately owned e-scooters are already a familiar sight in many British towns and cities, despite...

Privately owned e-scooters are already a familiar sight in many British towns and cities, despite remaining illegal to use on roads and pavements. They have the potential to offer a low cost, accessible and environmentally friendly alternative to the private car. The Department for Transport’s focus must be on developing … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government partly agrees, stating that developing a regulatory framework is a priority, but actual decisions and legislation are deferred until after the evaluation of e-scooter trials to fully understand their impacts.
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Department for Transport
2 Conclusion Third Report: E-scooters: pavement nuis… Accepted in Part

We welcome the Department’s work to examine the legal status of e-scooters.

We welcome the Department’s work to examine the legal status of e-scooters. The review of micro-mobility transport and the introduction of rental e-scooter trials will allow important evidence and data to be gathered to help determine the best way to incorporate both rental and privately-owned e-scooters within the UK transport … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government partly agrees, acknowledging the priority of an effective regulatory framework. However, they state that fully understanding the impacts of e-scooters through trial evaluations is a necessary prior stage before making long-term legislative decisions.
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Department for Transport
7 Recommendation Third Report: E-scooters: pavement nuis… Accepted in Part

It is unfortunate that, due to a legal technicality, users of rental e-scooters in the...

It is unfortunate that, due to a legal technicality, users of rental e-scooters in the Government’s trials are required to have a driving licence. People without driving licences ought to be a key target demographic for the rental schemes, yet they are excluded. We believe the rental schemes should be … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government partly agrees, noting the driving licence requirement is due to existing legislation. They state they will consider all trial evidence before making specific decisions on this matter, should e-scooters be legalised in the long term.
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Department for Transport
21 Recommendation Third Report: E-scooters: pavement nuis… Accepted in Part

We recommend that local authorities involved with the trials make it a condition that e-scooter...

We recommend that local authorities involved with the trials make it a condition that e-scooter companies seeking to participate operate in an environmentally sustainable way, both in terms of the design lifetime of their scooters and the processes used to recharge batteries. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government partly agrees, noting that while local areas were requested to consider environmental objectives in trials, it was not a condition set by the government. They state that environmental sustainability will be a key consideration if e-scooters are legalised long-term, and environmental impacts are …
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Department for Transport

Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions
Date Witnesses
15 Jul 2020 Alan Clarke · Lime, Anthony Ferguson · Department for Transport, Emma Silver · Bird, Rachel Maclean MP · Department for Transport, Richard Corbett · Voi View ↗
1 Jul 2020 Eleanor Southwood · Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Graeme Sherriff · University of Salford, Jillian Anable · University of Leeds, Lorna Lee · Automobile Association, Phillip Darnton OBE · Bicycle Association, Rachel Lee · Living Streets View ↗

Who gave evidence

11 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alan Clarke · Director of Policy, UK, Ireland & Nordics Lime 1
Anthony Ferguson · Deputy Director for Traffic and Technology Department for Transport 1
Eleanor Southwood · Chair Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) 1
Emma Silver · Head of Public Policy for Northern Europe & Asia … Bird 1
Graeme Sherriff · Research Fellow University of Salford 1
Jillian Anable · Chair in Transport & Energy University of Leeds 1
Lorna Lee · Campaigns Manager Automobile Association 1
Phillip Darnton OBE · Director Bicycle Association 1
Rachel Lee · Policy & Research Manager Living Streets 1
Rachel Maclean MP · Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Transport 1
Richard Corbett · Regional General Manager-UK, Ireland and Benelux Voi 1

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
13 Apr 2021 — Correspondence from Rachel Maclean MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, …