Transport for London gives go-ahead for e-scooters on capital’s streets I The Guardian
Trial to allow rented scooters on roads as part of green transport plan
Gwyn TophamTue 17 Nov 2020 13.07 GMT
From spring, up to three firms will operate hire schemes in London; private scooters, which are widely in use, will remain unauthorised. Photograph: Guy Bell/Rex/Shutterstock
E-scooters to rent are expected to be on the streets of London from next spring after the capital gave the go-ahead for trials. Up to three firms will be permitted to operate hire schemes, which are likely to start as small-scale operations in a limited number of boroughs.
Transport for London said the trials were part of plans to encourage greener forms of transport and, in particular, to avoid a “damaging, car-led recovery from coronavirus”, with road congestion already approaching pre-crisis levels.
Privately owned scooters will remain illegal in public, although they are already widely in use, unauthorised, on London roads.