The coronavirus lockdowns have served as a sort of reset button since governments worldwide now face the task of planning how to restart society. Why not open the world back up again in a better way rather than “business as usual?” Part of this mentality includes a recently unveiled £2 billion package in the UK to support “active travel” when it emerges from the crisis.
Transportation secretary Grant Shapps says part of the deal will include welcoming e-scooters onto public roads with trials set to launch next month rather than next year. Also, there will be a substantial investment in new cycle lanes as well as on-street EV charging infrastructure. Proposed are projects to trial autonomous drones delivering medical supplies to the Isle of Wight, and plans to test self-driving cars between Bath and Bristol.
Shapps said:
[The emerging technologies are] ripping up the rule book. Our groundbreaking future of transport program marks the biggest review of transport laws in a generation and will pave the way for exciting new transport technology to be tested, cementing the UK’s position as a world-leading innovator. This review will ensure we understand the potential impacts of a wide range of new transport types such as e-scooters, helping to properly inform any decisions on legalization.
Until now, the law against e-scooters was a strict ban, except for a very controlled trial by a US startup called Bird that remained exclusively on private land in London’s Olympic Park. Some people have been fighting against legalizing them because they fear people will drive them on sidewalks and run into pedestrians or leave them out on the streets to be tripped over. Nevertheless, the UK government is cautiously keeping an open mind for more sustainable transport options, and four local authorities will begin e-scooter trials next month.
Among the first cities to participate are Coventry and Birmingham in the West Midlands. Although according to Shapps, the trials will be extended to any region that wants them. They hope to deploy e-scooter rental schemes as swiftly as possible.
The details regarding the trials are yet unknown and will be shared as they develop. The trials will help layout what new rules and regulations should be enacted. For instance, what the minimum age should be for riders, licensing, insurance, speed limit, helmet requirements, where they can be ridden (on bike lanes or the main roads or both), and what powers local authorities have over control of e-scooter hiring firms.
Alan Clarke, the electric bike rental scheme Lime’s director of UK policy and government affairs, said:
We’re delighted that the government is exploring offering greener ways to travel. Shared electric scooters are a safe, emission-free, affordable, and convenient way of getting around. They help take cars off the road, with around a quarter of e-scooter trips replacing a car journey, cutting congestion and reducing air pollution.
Just the fact that UK cities are being given the go-ahead on e-scooters is a good sign. It means that the policymakers are adopting an altogether greener attitude. Other European cities have long since taken to the technology, so the UK was lagging in this category. And many other countries around the world have rental apps associated with e-scooters, such as Bird, Lime, and Jump (an Uber subsidiary).
It is also possible to purchase your own e-scooter, with many exciting models available already. A startup called FlowDot makes an e-kickscooter that can fold up in seconds so you can roll it along like a suitcase when you’re not riding it. It makes for a very convenient mode of transportation between public transport and your destination. If more people choose this strategy, it could free up parking spaces and take cars off the roads, thus improving air quality and congestion.
