E-Scooter Trials Begin in the UK

Under new legislation, e-scooter trials have been given the green light to begin since July 4th 2020.

The e-scooter trials were given the go-ahead a year earlier than planned to encourage fewer people to drive and use public transport as the UK emerges from the Coronavirus lockdown.

The first e-scooter trials have already begun in Middlesbrough where fifty e-scooters, supplied by the company Ginger, are now available to hire. This will eventually increase to 500 e-scooters by the end of the trial which is expected to last 12 months.

Only rented e-scooters can be used in the trial, it remains illegal to use a privately owned e-scooter on the road. The rented scooters will have a maximum speed of 15.5mph, and they can be ridden on the road or in bike lanes, but not on the pavement. Read more about the e-scooter rules here.

Several European countries such as France, Austria, Belgium and Switzerland allow the use of e-scooters either in cycle lanes or on the road, and it looks like the UK may be heading the same way.