E-scooters set to be trialled on UK roads

PLANS to allow electric scooters on UK roads have been unveiled by the Government as part of a “transport revolution”.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is consulting on what rules are required to allow them to be trialled safely.

Other proposals to enable modern technology to improve journeys include conducting drone medical deliveries and new public transport booking systems.

E-scooters are similar in design to a traditional child’s scooter but are powered by an electric motor.

They are a popular form of transport in many cities around the world, but it is illegal to use them on public roads and pavements in the UK.

The consultation covers a series of areas in relation to the safe use of e-scooters, including a minimum age for riders, speed limits, licensing, insurance and helmets.

Other topics include minimum design standards, whether they should be allowed in cycle lanes, and what powers local authorities should have to manage escooter hire firms.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the UK is “on the cusp of a transport revolution” as emerging technologies are “ripping up the rulebook”.

“Our groundbreaking Future of Transport programme marks the biggest review of transport laws in a generation and will pave the way for exciting new transport technology to be tested, cementing the UK’s position as a world-leading innovator,” Mr Shapps said.

Many people use e-scooters in the UK despite them not being allowed on public roads and pavements.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police caught nearly 100 riders in London in a single week last summer.