Transport charities and organisations are calling on the UK government to bring forward legislation that would create a new powered light vehicle class, which would ensure that e-scooters are subject to high safety standards.
The nine organisations include shared transport charity Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK), the Centre for London think-tank, retailer Pure Electric, manufacturer Taur, WMG at the University of Warwick, research technology organisation Cenex, campaigning climate change charity Possible, the Major Trauma Group of trauma victims and the London Cycling Campaign.
In a letter to the Department for Transport (DfT), they stress that while current e-scooter trials – which began in 2020 – have been “highly popular” a change in the law is required to define e-scooters.
The campaigners believe such a definition would “end the dangerous position we have currently, where at least hundreds of thousands of entirely unregulated e-scooters are (when ridden on public highway) in illegal use”.
Their letter added that the UK is the only developed nation without legislation or a plan for it, and explains how new regulations would help to grow “clean jobs”.
Additionally, the letter states that by legalising e-scooters the DfT would be helping lower transport emissions, improve air quality and cut congestion. The letter stressed that e-scooters could also be used in the repurposing of street space away from cars.
