Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the UK insurance sector regarding insurance cover for the users of e-scooters.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
As part of The Future of Transport Regulatory Review, the Department is reviewing regulations for micromobility vehicles, including e-scooters. Further conversations will be held as more evidence from e-scooter trials and wider sources is collected. These will feed into considerations for how best to regulate e-scooters, including whether to require insurance and, if so, what kind.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce compulsory insurance for e-scooters; and if so, how that measure would be enforced.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Users are required to scan their driving licence via the operator’s app in order to verify their eligibility to ride an e-scooter. In some cases this is done via facial-recognition technology where the user must scan their driving licence and then take a clear photo of themselves on the operator’s app. This allows the operator to verify that the user is using a valid driving licence and is at least 16 years old. Some operators use manual verification of driving licences before allowing users to rent an e-scooter.
Additionally, the police have powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices of £100 and seize e-scooters, if an individual is found to be driving without a driving licence or is under the age of 16.
As part of its stakeholder engagement, the Department is in continuous contact with representatives of the motor insurance industry and as part of that, does discuss e-scooters to understand their views.
Ministers are currently considering options for how best to regulate e-scooters, including whether to require insurance and, if so, what kind.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what checks are undertaken in e-scooter rental trials to ensure that those who use the e-scooters (1) hold the appropriate driving licence, and (2) are at least 16 years old.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Users are required to scan their driving licence via the operator’s app in order to verify their eligibility to ride an e-scooter. In some cases this is done via facial-recognition technology where the user must scan their driving licence and then take a clear photo of themselves on the operator’s app. This allows the operator to verify that the user is using a valid driving licence and is at least 16 years old. Some operators use manual verification of driving licences before allowing users to rent an e-scooter.
Additionally, the police have powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices of £100 and seize e-scooters, if an individual is found to be driving without a driving licence or is under the age of 16.
As part of its stakeholder engagement, the Department is in continuous contact with representatives of the motor insurance industry and as part of that, does discuss e-scooters to understand their views.
Ministers are currently considering options for how best to regulate e-scooters, including whether to require insurance and, if so, what kind.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend road traffic legislation to make causing death or serious injury by dangerous cycling an offence; and whether any such changes would cover (1) electrically assisted pedal cycles, and (2) e-scooters.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department for Transport is working on addressing concerns around dangerous cycling and will publish conclusions in due course. Decisions on which modes of transport might be covered by any new legislation will be taken at the time.