London e-scooter trial: Rules for riding on the capital’s roads as new scheme launches

Vehicles available for rental in Canary Wharf and four western boroughs to start with as city ponders more sustainable means of travel and its post-pandemic future

E-scooter pilot programme launches in London (Dan Kitwood/Getty)

A trial e-scooter rental scheme launches in London on Monday 7 June, running for an initial 12 months and allowing pedestrians to hire one of the eco-friendly vehicles from Canary Wharf and the western boroughs of Richmond upon Thames, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea.

The City of London, Southwark, Lambeth and Westminster are also set to join the Transport for London (TfL) sustainable travel initiative from 5 July, while around a third of the capital’s 33 boroughs are understood to be likely to participate in the trial at some point over the course of its year-long run.

The new scooters will allow Londoners to whizz around the agreed boundaries of the participating boroughs but riders will be prevented from venturing further afield by on-board “geo-fencing” technology, which cause the vehicles to slowly grind to a halt when ridden into unauthorised zones.

They will also have a top speed of just 12.5 miles per hour (mph) as the emphasis is placed firmly on safety, with front and rear lights switched on throughout every journey to ensure maximum visibility.

Boroughs will also be permitted to specify “go-slow” areas where the speed of the e-scooters will be automatically dropped to 8mph.

Tower Hamlets will serve as a “ride-through” zone but, except for on the Canary Wharf estate, the scooters cannot be hired or parked on its premises, nor can they be ridden in London’s Royal Parks like Richmond Park and Kensington Gardens.

Three operators - Dott, Lime and TIER - will each provide between 60 and 150 models for each of the five participating areas.

TfL says it will cost between £3.25 and £3.40 for a typical 15-minute ride, according to The Evening Standard, with each operator charging £1 to “unlock” a scooter, followed by a per-minute fee of 15p for Dott and TIER and 16p for Lime.

Riders will reportedly not be charged while idling at traffic lights in a bid to discourage reckless bids to beat the clock and return the scooters before incurring an additional charge.

The key rules for the use of the e-scooters are as follows:

• Riders must be 18 or over and have a full or provisional driving licence to be able to register via the operators’ apps
• Riders must take an online safety course before their first journey
• Helmets are recommended but not mandatory
• Riding on the pavement is illegal and riders must stick to public roads and existing cycle infrastructure across the participating boroughs
• Riding privately-owned e-scooters remains illegal on public roads and anyone caught using one could face a fixed-penalty fine

“We want to ensure a green, sustainable recovery from coronavirus, and e-scooters are an alternative to cars that could help with this,” said Will Norman, London mayor Sadiq Khan’s walking and cycling commissioner.

Lime scooters can be found all over Paris and several other European cities (AFP/Getty)

“The safety of those using e-scooters, as well as other road users and pedestrians, is absolutely paramount, so it's important that they are trialled in this rigorous way to ensure high standards. We look forward to exploring the role that e-scooters could play in London's future.”

Helen Sharp, the TfL pilot project’s leader, said: “This new trial will provide the data and insights we need to determine the longer-term role e-scooters could play in our strategy for a greener and healthier future for London.”

For more information on the rental scheme and how to register, check out TfL’s website.