Government moves to extend rental e-scooter trials
The Government has extended its official trials of rental e-scooters until March 2022, it has been reported. The trials, which started in July 2020, are designed to help the Government assess the benefits of e-scooters – in particular their impact on public space, motor traffic, the environment and safety.
They were fast-tracked in a bid to ease pressure on public transport during the Covid-19 pandemic. To date, approximately 50 towns and cities across the UK have launched e-scooter rental schemes, which were due to end in August this year.
However, the decision has been made to extend the trials until March 2022, reports the RAC, in a bid to enable the Government to gather the “most comprehensive evidence”.
The extension means legislation on the use of rental e-scooters is now unlikely to come into effect until mid-2023, the RAC notes. The Department for Transport (DfT) said: “To ensure we get the most comprehensive evidence from trials, including those that have started more recently, the end date for trials has been extended to 31 March 2022.
