Call for action on shared mobility in Scotland

CoMoUK urges Scottish political parties to commit to laws allowing public access to e-scooters

Scotland’s political parties have been urged to commit to passing legislation that would give the public access to shared e-scooters for the first time.?The call is being made by Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK), the national charity for shared transport, ahead of the Holyrood election in May.

CoMoUK is a charity that promotes the environmental, economic, health and social benefits of shared transport for the public good.

It has published six key pledges that it would like to see in party manifestos, including a commitment to pass legislation that would allow shared e-scooter schemes in Scotland.

Such schemes are currently the only legal way to ride e-scooters on public roads in the UK, with a series of pilots running in towns and cities in England since 2020.

Scotland has so far not introduced any of its own, meaning that the public is missing out on the benefits of a cheap, flexible, and green mode of transport.

Both primary and secondary legislation is needed to get e-scooter schemes up and running, with Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee all well placed to host trials.

CoMoUK is also calling for political parties to back five other pledges, including the creation of a dedicated shared transport team within the next Scottish Government.

As well as e-scooter schemes, shared transport covers sustainable modes such as bike sharing, car clubs, and lift sharing, which reduce people’s reliance on private cars.

Another pledge is to increase the density of car club vehicles in Scotland to a minimum of one per 10,000 inhabitants, which would move the nation closer to places such as Italy and France.

The charity is also calling for multi-year funding for a network of mobility hubs, which bring together a range of transport options and community services in a single, attractive place. Placed strategically in key travel corridors, they can seamlessly connect shared transport schemes with public transport and other active travel options.

Other pledges include an update to the Active Travel Strategy to include shared bike schemes, and a requirement for new housing developments to be designed in such a way that reduces car dependency and includes shared transport options.

CoMoUK’s six shared transport pledges

• We will establish a dedicated shared transport function within our government.
• We will commit to passing the primary and secondary legislation needed to enable shared e-scooter schemes.
• We will increase the density of car club vehicles in our area to a minimum of 1 vehicle per 10,000 inhabitants.
• We will commit to multi-year capital and revenue funding to build a network of mobility hubs with coverage in each region of Scotland.
• We will update our next Active Travel Strategy to include shared bike schemes within the definition, given the physical and mental health benefits of shared bike use.
• We will require new housing developments to be designed in such a way that reduces car dependency and embeds shared transport.

Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMoUK, said: “Scotland has a tremendous opportunity to become a leader in sustainable travel, and as we approach the Holyrood election, it is time for bold commitments and action.

“For too long, Scots have been denied the benefits of shared e-scooters, a flexible and low-carbon mode of transport that has been enjoyed by people in England for years.

“As well as giving e-scooter schemes the green light, enacting our other pledges would help the next Scottish Government unlock a cleaner, greener, and more affordable future for all.

“Expanding car clubs, building a network of mobility hubs, and embedding shared transport into new housing developments would help to cut emissions and reduce traffic congestion.

“We urge all parties to embrace these solutions now, ensuring that Scotland leads the way in sustainable transport rather than watching from the sidelines.”