Legalisation of e-scooters missing from King’s Speech

CoMoUK’s Richard Dilks urges government to provide clarity and direction

The UK government has failed to bring forward legislation to legalise e-scooters in the King’s Speech, despite previously committing to do so when parliamentary time allows.

For CoMoUK, the national shared transport charity Collaborative Mobility UK (CoMoUK) said is a significant blow that will prolong uncertainty and deter investment.

It comes after an open letter sent to the Prime Minister called for legislation to create a new powered light vehicle class, giving e-scooters and other e-mobility options access to public roads.

Signed by operators including Lime, Voi, and Bolt, as well as transport and environmental organisations and councillors, it said the delays were having a “significant adverse impact on investment”.

It is deeply frustrating that the government has failed to use the King’s Speech to finally move to legalise e-scooters.

The UK remains the only country in Europe that has not yet legalised them, and these continuing delays directly contradict the government’s own goals for integrated transport.

By failing to legislate, the government is condemning operators and local authorities to endless trials, leaving them stuck in limbo and holding back economic growth.

As well as denying people access to flexible, affordable, low-carbon transport, this inaction means we cannot implement the new technical specifications and safety standards that are so desperately needed.?Furthermore, we are left without a mechanism to resolve the problems caused by entirely unregulated, privately-owned e-scooters being ridden illegally.

The public, local authorities and operators desperately need clarity and direction We urge the government to rethink its timeline and bring forward this vital legislation.

Richard Dilks is chief executive of CoMoUK