Missed out on the webinar? Watch here:
E-scooters could play a role in ensuring a green and sustainable future for London, helping people to use private cars less. Many countries have legalised e-scooters but they remain largely illegal in the UK. There are still valid concerns about their use, including the fear of increasing accidents and reduction in physical activity.
Over the last year, TfL has worked in partnership with e-scooter rental companies, running trials in London to test their popularity and work out the best ways to protect the public from potential safety issues. These trials will inform any changes to the legal status of e-scooters and how they can be used.
The evidence so far suggests that the scheme has been increasingly popular with Londoners, to the extent that the number of vehicles available to hire have increased six-fold and the number of boroughs participating in the trial have doubled. There are now more than 420 designated parking locations across the trial area, with plans to expand further over the coming year to increase parking density.
Many campaigners are in support of micromobility within London and see e-scooters as an environmentally friendly form of transport that can offer a better, cheaper and more convenient way to travel. But concerns around the safety of e-scooters remain, particularly when they are used by unlicensed riders on poor road infrastructure or when they are used on pavements and in parks without designated pathways.
In our webinar, we heard from transport experts, road users and pedestrians as they discussed:
- The e-scooter trial: What happened? What have we learnt?
- What can we learn from other countries across Europe that have legalised e-scooters?
- What needs to happen to make e-scooters safer for all road users and pedestrians?
- How can we make e-scooters work with other sustainable modes of transport?
Speakers:
- CHAIR: Callum Marius – Transport Editor, MyLondon
- PRESENTATION: Josh Cottell – Research Manager, Centre for London
- Emma Gibson – CEO, London TravelWatch
- Helen Sharp – E-scooter Trial Lead, Transport for London
- Chief Superintendent Simon Ovens – Road and Transport Policing Command, Metropolitan Police Service
- Haren Thillainathan – Member, London Sight Loss Council
