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 UK is the last major European economy where e-scooters are
banned everywhere except on private land (with the landowner’s
permission).
In the UK, e-scooters are classified as a ‘powered transporter’
and are covered by laws that apply to all motor vehicles,
including the requirements of the Road Traffic Act 1988 on road
tax and technical safety standards. The Committee’s inquiry will
consider whether e-scooters should be permitted on roads, cycles
lanes and/or pavements, noting that any change in the law would
require primary legislation.
The Transport Committee’s short inquiry on this emerging policy
area will complement a consultation launched by the Department
for Transport on micromobility vehicles.
The Chair of the Transport Committee, , said:
“Electric scooters could be a useful lever to reduce our
transport carbon footprint but their environmental credentials
have yet to be proven. These ‘powered transporters’ could reduce
the amount of time we spend in cars and reduce congestion but we
don’t want to score an own goal by encouraging the use of
micromobility vehicles instead of walking and cycling.
“Road safety is a significant consideration. We must consider the
dangers to other road users and especially pedestrians with
visual impairments or those who use mobility aids and rely on
clear pavements. Safety must also be a factor for riders of
e-scooters.
“We’d like to hear from manufacturers about the design and build
of e-scooters. The public may have views on whether there should
be specific vehicle or user requirements. Are e-scooters
something good and positive which will take traffic off the road
- one part of what the Department for Transport describes as a
‘transport revolution’? Let’s see if those who respond to our
inquiry agree.”
The committee is calling for written evidence on:
-
whether the legislation for e-scooters is up to date and
appropriate;
-
to what extent e-scooters have positive benefits, for
instance relating to congestion and promoting more sustainable
forms of transport;
-
where in the urban environment e-scooters could be used
(e.g. road, pavement, cycle lanes), and how this could impact
on other road users and pedestrians, including people who have
visual impairments or use mobility aids;
-
whether there should be advice or compulsory requirements
to use specific safety equipment when using an
e-scooter;
-
whether there should be safety and environmental
regulation for the build of e-scooters, and what this might
entail; and
-
the experience of other countries where e-scooters are
legal on the roads.
The closing date for written evidence is 2 June, 2020.
Further information:
The inquiry is launched as Parliament returns post Easter recess
on 21 April.
The Government’s consultation opened on March 16, 2020: Future of
transport regulatory review: call for evidence on micromobility
vehicles, flexible bus services and mobility as a service.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-transport-regulatory-review-call-for-evidence-on-micromobility-vehicles-flexible-bus-services-and-mobility-as-a-service
In December 2018, the then Transport Committee published a report
on Mobility as a Service:
https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/transport-committee/inquiries/parliament-2017/mobility-as-a-service-17-19/publications/
Committee membership: , Chair (Con, Bexhill and
Battle); (Lab, Brentford and
Isleworth); (Lab, Nottingham
South); (Con, East Devon); (Con, High Peak); (Con, West Dorset);
(Con, Lincoln); MP (Lab, Easington);
(SNP, Paisley and
Renfrewshire North); (Con, Buckingham); (Lab, Ilford South).
