Electric scooter riders will be allowed to use roads in England under government trials in four parts of the country aimed as part of a green transport push.
The use of so-called e-scooters, which have become a common sight in European cities, is illegal under a law dating back to the 1800s but ministers are set to launch a consultation to look at ways of making them safe. Measures would include a minimum age for riding them and vehicle standards as well as insurance requirements.
The move is part of the review of transport legislation by the government aimed at making journeys smarter and greener through new technology.
The government has set aside £90m to study various options, including e-scooters, in four so-called future transport zones, covering Portsmouth and Southampton; Derby and Nottingham; the West Midlands; and the West of England Combined Authority, which includes Bath and Bristol.
Other transport modes that are part of the study include a trial of drones in Portsmouth and Southampton. The craft will be used to carry medical supplies and samples from the Isle of Wight to hospitals on the mainland aimed at trying to speed up diagnoses.
Grant Shapps, transport secretary, said the initiative marked the biggest review of transport laws “in a generation”, adding that it would help “inform any decisions on legalisation”.
The review would also look at ways of running buses akin to an on demand service similar to taxis or Uber.
Bird, the Californian e-scooter sharing start-up, which operates in more than 120 cities in 15 countries, started a trial in late 2018 on private paths in the Olympic Park, east London as it sought to persuade uk lawmakers to legalise scooters on public roads. The trial runs until the end of March, according to the park’s website.
A study by the International Transport Forum in February found that e-scooter riders are not exposed to significantly higher risk of injury or road traffic death than cyclists but recognised regulation was necessary.
Under the review, the government will also consider if local authorities need extra powers to manage the impact of e-scooters on public spaces, including where they can be parked.
