Restrictions limiting where rental e-scooters can be driven in London have been eased in a bid to make them more “competitive” - and to reduce injuries caused when the vehicles suddenly stop working.
E-scooters, which are more heavily regulated than e-bikes in the capital, are still banned from passing through large sections of the city centre, including the Royal Parks, the South Bank and the area around St Paul’s Cathedral.
The restrictions are enforced using geofencing technology, which causes the scooter’s engine to cut out once it has entered a banned zone.
But concerns have been raised that the suddenness with which the scooters stop when they enter these areas - known as ‘clipping’ - can cause injuries.
Other parts of the city, like Soho, have been designated as ‘go slow’ areas, where the vehicle’s speed is automatically brought down to a crawl of 8mph.
The scooters are available to rent as part of an ongoing national trial, overseen in London by Transport for London (TfL). Privately-owned e-scooters, despite their widespread use, remain illegal to ride in the UK except on private property.
In a statement to the Daily Telegraph, TfL revealed it has “reduced the number of go slow and no go areas across the trial area, to improve the experience for riders without impacting those not using the service”.
In areas not covered by ‘no go’ or ‘go slow’ zones, the scooters are limited by TfL to driving at a maximum speed of 12.5mph, despite the Government setting a limit nationally of 15.5mph.
Though TfL has said it “will not be making a change to the trial’s maximum speed at this time”, a recent report revealed that an increase has nonetheless been “considered” by the transport authority and could potentially be progressed if there were to be a “widespread removal of geofence zones”.
The report, published in September by London Councils - the capital’s local government association - said that TfL is working with borough authorities on “a revised approach “ to managing e-scooters, to “ensure the mode stays competitive” across the city.
The report stated that one “key structural change” to boost the scooters’ popularity with riders would be “to reduce e-scooter geofencing (aligning it with e-bike geofencing) to address safety concerns associated with over-use of geofence ‘go slow’ and ‘no go’ zones”.
It added: “TfL receive weekly incident reporting on safety incidents that occur where a scooter rider is ‘clipped’ by a geofence zone whilst riding in the carriageway, causing a sudden loss of power to their vehicle, creating a significant risk for the rider.
“This affects 15 per cent of all e-scooter rides, and 40 per cent of those affected do not take another trip. Two boroughs have removed e-scooter geofences with no safety incidents reported.”
In a letter to mayor Sadiq Khan this summer, e-scooter operator Voi said that the 12.5mph speed restriction placed on the vehicles meant that they “cannot compete” with e-bikes in the capital.
London Councils’ report said that in discussions with TfL, “a speed increase has been considered… however until there is widespread removal of geofence zones across the trial area, a speed increase cannot be progressed”.
Critics of e-scooters warn that the vehicles are unsafe and that an increase to the speed limit would lead to a rise in injuries.
According to TfL, e-scooter riders were, in 2022, involved in collisions that resulted in 21 serious injuries to pedestrians. The figure in 2021 was 30.
Sarah Gayton, of the blind campaigning charity NFBUK, told the Telegraph: “It is insane that rental e-scooters are already terrifyingly fast compared to a walking pace. These machines are inherently unsafe and allowing 16-year-olds access to them is asking for trouble.
“Safety concerns are being ignored due to what appears to be pressure from e-scooter operators who are having too much influence on TfL policy.
“When will pedestrian safety and accessibility needs be prioritised? And why are blind, deaf-blind and visually impaired people’s safety not being considered?”
E-scooter operators in London can set their own minimum age limit. Lime require their scooter riders to be at least 18, while Voi in September lowered their age limit from 18 to 16, using a request procedure contained in their contract with TfL. The Government has set an absolute minimum age of 16 for the e-scooters nationally, so long as the rider holds a provisional driving licence.
Helen Sharp, TfL’s e-scooter trial lead, said: “Safety is at the core of our e-scooter trial with London having high safety standards. We monitor and evaluate the performance of the trial and are continually looking for ways to make improvements.
“Recently, working with participating boroughs and operators, we have reduced the number of go slow and no go areas across the trial area, to improve the experience for riders without impacting those not using the service.
“We have also considered increasing the speed limit to align to the national limit of 15.5mph but we will not be making a change to the trial’s maximum speed at this time.”
London Councils’ report said TfL has also been discussing with boroughs how “to ensure all marked [parking] bays are open to both e-scooters and e-bikes”.
It added: “E-bike only bays reduces options for e-scooter users to park their vehicles, decreases parking density and creates a confusing user experience due to different parking locations for e-bikes and e-scooters.”
