Rental e-scooters to be trialled in London from June

Capital seeks to shift towards greener modes of transport by emulating success of schemes elsewhere in Europe

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

Rental e-scooters are to be trialled in London from next month as the capital seeks to shift motorists away from polluting cars to greener modes of transport.

The e-scooters will have a maximum speed of 12.5mph – below the 15.5mph limit set by the Department for Transport – and be limited for use in selected areas in the west, centre and east of the capital.

They will be legal to use in bicycle lanes and on roads, where users of private e-scooters remain banned.

Dott, Lime and Tier, whose scooters have become a popular addition to several European capitals including Paris and Madrid, will carry out the 12-month pilot scheme from 7 June.

Riders will be required to take an online safety course before their first hire.

London's scheme will initially be restricted to six boroughs: Tower Hamlets, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Richmond, City of London and Kensington and Chelsea.

Geo-fencing technology will be used to prevent e-scooters being used outside these areas.

Helen Sharp, leading the project for TfL, said: “We're doing all we can to support London's safe and sustainable recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, and it's clear that e-scooters could act as an innovative, greener alternative to car trips.”

Will Norman, London's walking and cycling commissioner, said: “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.”

However the introduction of e-scooters has been opposed by some disability charities, which have warned about the impact on people with impaired vision.

Charity Guide Dogs has called for the sale of e-scooters to be banned, describing their use as “a serious safety issue for many people with sight loss”.

Others have warned about the impact on street clutter, and highlighted safety concerns after a three-year-old boy was injured when he was hit from behind by an e-scooter while walking on a pavement in Feltham, west London.