June Marks the Start of London E-scooter Trial

E-scooters will soon be available for rent across London as part of a 12-month trial.

19:03 19 May 2021

E-scooters will soon be available for rent in Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Richmond and the City of London as part of a 12-month trial. Other boroughs like Southwark, Lambeth, Barnet, Camden and Hounslow are keen to participate. 

 

Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said: “This is just the beginning of the trial. We are expecting other boroughs to join. 

 

“No-one is going to be riding all the way across London on one, but what I wanted was enough ‘joined-up spaces’ to make this work. It’s another tool in helping us reduce congestion and improve air quality.”

 

The Government-backed trial, which will start on June 7, will be launched in partnership with Dott, Lime and Tier. It aims to assess safety and determine whether riders will obey the rules of the road. 

 

The speed limit for the scooters is set at 12.5mph, which is 3mph slower in trials in the rest of the country. An audible alert can be activated to warn pedestrian while lights will be automatically illuminated during the ride for safety. 

 

Riders are required to take an online safety course before their first ride. 

 

Private e-scooters will remain illegal and hired e-scooters can only be ridden on cycle lanes or the road - not on pavements.