Minister indicates Government plans to legalise private e-scooters

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has indicated the Government intends to legalise the use of private e-scooters on public roads.

The Cabinet minister said introducing regulations for e-scooters is “clearly required”.

Private e-scooters cannot be legally ridden on roads or pavements in the UK, but have become a common sight, particularly in urban areas.

It's clearly required

Trials of rental e-scooters on roads in England have been ongoing in towns and cities since July 2020.

Asked by the Commons’ Transport Select Committee if she plans to introduce legislation regulating the use of e-scooters, Ms Haigh replied: “We’ve not got parliamentary time in this session or a relevant Bill that could be used to regulate e-scooters, but we will look to legislate, absolutely.

“It’s clearly required.

“It’s not good enough that it’s been left in this situation for too long.”

Ms Haigh added that e-scooters could be a “really effective part of an integrated transport strategy”, particularly by easing journeys for some people with accessibility needs.

But she warned there are “undoubtedly issues around parking and around street litter”, and stressed the need to “really carefully analyse what journeys they are replacing, and the behavioural impact of e-scooters”.

Department for Transport figures show 11 riders and one pedestrian died in e-scooter crashes in Britain in 2022.

A further 1,480 injured casualties were recorded, including 1,138 riders, 232 pedestrians and 50 cyclists.