E-Scooters: The Next Electric Transportation Trend?


Electric scooters, or e-scooters, are an up-and-coming mode of transport due to their efficiency, easy storage and speed. Compared to other electric transportation such as e-cars, e-scooters are at an advantage whereby they can travel through smaller spaces; such as a pavement or weaving through traffic. This is seen as an attractive trait for commuters who live in a city and need to get from A to B efficiently and quickly. 

The London Trial

On Monday 7 June 2021, electric scooters became available to rent in a small number of London boroughs to cut pollution in the UK transport sector, in hope to have net zero carbon emissions by 2050. These scooters are currently limited to a maximum speed of 12.5mph.

The e-scooters are now available for hire in:

On 14th July 2021, it was announced that Westminster City Council has confirmed it will join Transport for London ‘s year-long trial of rental e-scooters from August 2, although riders will not be authorised to hire or park them in Oxford Street or Regent Street.

In addition to this, on Monday 2nd August, the e-scooter trial launched into the West End. This means the number of e-scooters available to hire across the capital will increase to about 2,700 in the coming weeks – with the possibility that more boroughs will sign up for the year-long pilot.

What makes e-scooters so attractive? 

Not only are e-scooters eco friendly due to its electric formation, they are also incredibly easy to store. It has been proposed that there will be 70 e-scooter parking bays, whereby users can drop off and pick up their scooter, according to London News Online. E-scooters are considered to be very safe; thanks to advanced technology such as permanently lit lights at the front and the rear of the vehicles,  and larger wheels being at least 12 inches in diameter. According to the TFL Gov website, the operators will also have additional safety mechanisms in place, including ‘first ride policies’, meaning riders must take an e-learning safety course before they hire for the first time, and lower maximum speeds in place for their first ride. Not only this, e-scoots have an attractive price point – between £3.25 and £3.40 for a 15-minute ride.

Will Norman, London’s Walking & Cycling Commissioner, said: ‘As we look to our capital’s future, we want to ensure a green and sustainable recovery from the pandemic. We know that a huge portion of car journeys in London are for very short distances, and we want to explore how e-scooters can act as an innovative alternative. E-scooters have been on our streets for some time now but with very little regulation. This trial will have safety at its heart, bringing in rigorous precautions and parking measures while taking the needs of all road users into account and seeing what role e-scooters can play in London’s future.’

The negatives of e-scooters

With every technological trend, there are always a few downfalls. The Government has released an app which states the e-scooter no-go zones, some being very busy places which riders may want to travel to. Also, the e-scooters have GPS controlled parking meaning they can only be parked in specified locations and not obstructing the pavement. For some people, this can be seen as a burden. Not only this, some e-scooters may cause road accidents due to inexperienced users or drivers not being seen by passing vehicles. In the UK, at least four people including Shakur Pinnock are now known to have died in accidents across the UK involving these new battery-powered scooters. On being the 35-year-old TV presenter Emily Hartridge who, in July 2019, was killed in a collision with a lorry in south London.

Apps to determine if a rider has been drinking

Some of the largest e-scooter operators such as Tier and Voi, will use apps so riders don’t ride fuelled with alcohol. Research was released last month revealing e-scooter-related injuries are most likely to occur when riders are fuelled with alcohol, likely at the weekend. The e-scooter company Bird asks riders to enter a keyword between 10pm and 4am, in a scheme known as Safe Start.

The limit in the UK is 80mg of alcohol for 100ml of blood, while in Scotland there is a lower limit of 50mg. The penalty for being in charge of a vehicle while over the limit may include three months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to £2,500 and a driving ban.

Law on drink-driving electric scooters – UK

E-scooters are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs), which means they are subject to all the same legal requirements including MOT, tax and licensing. Drink-drive laws therefore apply when riding a scooter.

Will you get an e-scooter?


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