New transport tech to be tested in biggest shake-up of laws in a generation

• Call for evidence on UK transport laws launched to make journeys greener, easier and smarter.
• £90m to trial tech including medical drone deliveries and e-scooters in four areas across UK.
• Review will address how people across England can book buses on their phone in the same way as private hire vehicles.  

The Government has today (Monday 16 March) launched a consultation to make journeys easier, smarter and greener through new technology as part of the Future of Transport Regulatory Review.

The review will consider how we make small changes to our everyday travel decisions and whether we could choose to walk, cycle, bus or one day scoot instead of take the car.

Alongside the review, A £90m funding boost will lead to trials of new transport innovation in three new ‘Future Transport Zones’. The Zones will provide real-world testing for experts, allowing them to work with a range of local bodies such as councils, hospitals, airports and universities to test innovative ways to transport people and goods.

The three new Zones set to receive a share of the funding are in Portsmouth and Southampton, the West of England Combined Authority, and Derby and Nottingham; they will all join the existing West Midlands Future of Transport Zone.

The Government will also consult on the use of e-scooters and the impact they may have on UK transport. Requirements for both e-scooters and those using them are being explored to make sure they are safe for use on roads. These include a minimum age and vehicle standards as well as insurance requirements. The review will also consider if local authorities should have extra powers to manage the impacts of e-scooters on public space, for example where they can be parked. 

The Government is also exploring how to test emerging technology in bus, taxi and private hire vehicle services, which could make journey planning and payment simpler and more seamless. For example, by reviewing regulations which could make it easier for bus services to operate in a similar way to on-demand taxis or private hire vehicles. The new winning Future Transport Zones in the UK will test a range of innovations and discover new ways to help people and goods move around, including: 

• West of England Combined Authority (WECA) will test innovative tech to bring together people, operators and authorities. The aim is to introduce booking platforms, giving people access to book one journey across multiple types of transport through the click of a button. They will also work to trial self-driving cars to transport people between Bristol airport, central Bath and the Northern Arc.
• Portsmouth and Southampton will test how new tech can improve travel in car-dominated areas outside of major cities and provide the ability to plan journeys through smartphone apps. New options for last-mile deliveries for freight will also be trialled including e-cargo bikes in cities, and using drones for medical deliveries.
• Derby and Nottingham have been granted more than £15m to invest in new ‘mobility hubs’ that integrate and encourage more widespread uptake of public transport, bike hire, car clubs and electric vehicles. They will also create a website and an app to improve information about transport choices and simplify payments for people when travelling.

Notes to editors

This programme was previously called the Future of Mobility Regulatory Review, and Future Transport Zones were formerly called Future Mobility Zones. Today, we are re-naming it to reflect the importance of putting people at the heart of our approach to future transport technology and business models. The name of the Future of Mobility Grand Challenge has also been changed to reflect this approach, and is now known as Future of Transport.

Four key areas will be addressed in relation to e-scooters: 

• Vehicle requirements – what minimum design standards should be applied and how should vehicles be approved 
• User requirements – what requirements users must meet to use micromobility devices, e.g. licensing, insurance, minimum ages and helmet use 
• Use on the road – should micromobility devices be permitted on roads, cycle tracks and lanes 
• Service provider requirements – what rules should apply to businesses offering micromobility hire schemes and what powers should local authorities have to manage such schemes and their impacts. 

Additional information

• It is currently illegal to use e-scooters on public roads and pavements. This is because e-scooters fall within the definition of a motor vehicle under the Road Traffic Act 1988 but are by design unable to comply with the same legal requirements as motor vehicles.
• Trials will not start immediately as e-scooters are currently illegal to use on public roads and pavements and Government needs to amend legislation to allow their use in trials. This consultation will help determine what rules for using e-scooters will be trialled.
• The local authority in each area will contract one or more e-scooter hire companies to provide some e-scooters to be available for hire on the streets, in a similar way to other cities abroad.