After months of ambiguity and uncertainty surrounding the legality of electric scooters, the Department for Transport is finally consulting on what rules needed to be put in place in order for a safe trial period.
Electric scooters quickly and very recently became a very popular method of transport around the world, but the legality is still obscure. This consultation will discuss a minimum age for riders, speed limits, insurance and helmets, speed limits and whether they should be allowed in cycle lanes.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps commented that the UK is on the brink of a transport revolution as emerging technologies changing the rules of the game. Shapps comments: “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 legalisation.”
The electric scooter trials will begin in Portsmouth, Southampton, Derby, Nottingham and the West Midlands. However it will still be several months until scooters are allowed on UK roads and the current legislation has been amended.
Innovative transportation will be supported with a £90 million injection of government funding. For example; medical supplies between Isle of Wight clinics and mainland hospitals are looking to be carried by drones so as to save time an self-driving cars will move people between Bristol airport, the northern suburbs of Bristol and central Bath. The government is also looking to discuss how best to test new technologies for buses and taxis to simplify planning and payment.
Check out our range of electric scooters on our website or drop in to our Rushden showroom and have a try for yourself: https://www.urbanelectro.com/electric-transport-shop