Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current public understanding regarding the law on e-scooters.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Enforcement of road traffic law and how available resources are deployed to tackle illegal riding of e-scooters is an operational matter for chief officers according to local policing plans. In February we issued updated guidance to all local authorities and operators taking part in the trials, and local authorities in trial areas continue to engage with local police forces. Following the trial extension, the Government will continue to support the police by ensuring they have the tools needed to enforce road traffic legislation including those relating to e-scooters.
The Department has in place a national monitoring and evaluation programme for the e-scooter trials. As part of the evaluation, evidence was gathered on public perceptions of e-scooters, including residents’ views of current e-scooter laws. The findings report from the evaluation is due to be published later this year.
Alongside the findings from the evaluation, we are drawing from wider evidence to further support the trials and help us to consider options for new regulations for e-scooters. For example, insights on public understanding of e-scooter laws has been collected through the Department’s Transport and Technology tracker, with findings published in December 2021.
Existing trials will continue to run to 30 November 2022. Local Authorities can then choose to withdraw from the trials or continue with an extension to 31 May 2024. Our e-scooter trials regulations apply in Great Britain, though some aspects of traffic signs and regulations are devolved and would require the devolved Governments to also amend their legislation. To date, Wales have decided not to hold trials.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what engagement they have had with police forces across (1) England, and (2) Wales, to establish a uniform approach to enforcement of illegal e-scooter use; and what engagement they plan to have following their decision to extend the trial period.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Enforcement of road traffic law and how available resources are deployed to tackle illegal riding of e-scooters is an operational matter for chief officers according to local policing plans. In February we issued updated guidance to all local authorities and operators taking part in the trials, and local authorities in trial areas continue to engage with local police forces. Following the trial extension, the Government will continue to support the police by ensuring they have the tools needed to enforce road traffic legislation including those relating to e-scooters.
The Department has in place a national monitoring and evaluation programme for the e-scooter trials. As part of the evaluation, evidence was gathered on public perceptions of e-scooters, including residents’ views of current e-scooter laws. The findings report from the evaluation is due to be published later this year.
Alongside the findings from the evaluation, we are drawing from wider evidence to further support the trials and help us to consider options for new regulations for e-scooters. For example, insights on public understanding of e-scooter laws has been collected through the Department’s Transport and Technology tracker, with findings published in December 2021.
Existing trials will continue to run to 30 November 2022. Local Authorities can then choose to withdraw from the trials or continue with an extension to 31 May 2024. Our e-scooter trials regulations apply in Great Britain, though some aspects of traffic signs and regulations are devolved and would require the devolved Governments to also amend their legislation. To date, Wales have decided not to hold trials.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they made of law enforcement against illegal use of private e-scooters on public (1) roads, and (2) pavements, before extending the trial for local authority-authorised rental e-scooter schemes until May 2024.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Enforcement of road traffic law and how available resources are deployed to tackle illegal riding of e-scooters is an operational matter for chief officers according to local policing plans. In February we issued updated guidance to all local authorities and operators taking part in the trials, and local authorities in trial areas continue to engage with local police forces. Following the trial extension, the Government will continue to support the police by ensuring they have the tools needed to enforce road traffic legislation including those relating to e-scooters.
The Department has in place a national monitoring and evaluation programme for the e-scooter trials. As part of the evaluation, evidence was gathered on public perceptions of e-scooters, including residents’ views of current e-scooter laws. The findings report from the evaluation is due to be published later this year.
Alongside the findings from the evaluation, we are drawing from wider evidence to further support the trials and help us to consider options for new regulations for e-scooters. For example, insights on public understanding of e-scooter laws has been collected through the Department’s Transport and Technology tracker, with findings published in December 2021.
Existing trials will continue to run to 30 November 2022. Local Authorities can then choose to withdraw from the trials or continue with an extension to 31 May 2024. Our e-scooter trials regulations apply in Great Britain, though some aspects of traffic signs and regulations are devolved and would require the devolved Governments to also amend their legislation. To date, Wales have decided not to hold trials.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation in the next parliamentary session to regulate pedicabs in London.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government agrees that it is in the interest of safety and fairness to all road users, pedestrians, and passengers to address the lack of pedicab regulation in London.
The Government has supported the Pedicabs (London) Bill, which is being taken forward in the House of Commons by Nickie Aiken MP.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 17 March (HL14066), what plans they have to use any legislation introduced in the current Session of Parliament to enable the regulation of pedicabs in London.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government remains open to seeking opportunities to introduce legislation that enables the regulation of pedicabs in London, when parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to regulate pedicabs.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Outside London, in England and Wales, pedicabs are treated as taxis for the purposes of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 and Part II of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976. Accordingly, pedicabs may be regulated as taxis under the provisions of the 1847 and 1976 Acts.
Within London pedicabs are not treated as taxis for the purpose of the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869, which is the equivalent legislation in London.
The Government is open to seeking opportunities to introduce legislation that enables the regulation of pedicabs in London, when parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the steps taken by public transport operators to meet their legal duty to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour on vehicles and at stations and stops, and, in particular, of the display of notices against anti-social behaviour such as litter, putting feet on seats, and the consumption of food and drink.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Government is committed to reducing crime, anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime wherever it occurs in the transport system. A wide variety of people and organisations are involved in helping to reduce anti-social behaviour and to deal with it when it occurs. These may be transport operators, local authorities, local police, British Transport Police, Passenger Transport Executives, Transport for London, town centre managers, Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships and schools.
The transport industry, local authorities, the police and others are already investing in and undertaking wide-ranging initiatives to improve the personal security of public transport passengers and staff and to keep our public transport systems as low crime environments.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 14 September 2017 (HL1408) about the steps they intend to take to regulate rickshaws and pedicabs in London, whether they have completed considering the options for regulation.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We have concluded that there is a need to regulate pedicabs and are investigating a suitable legislative slot to do this.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to regulate rickshaws and pedicabs in London.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government understands the concerns that have been raised about pedicabs and the lack of regulatory regime to control their operations. We are considering the options for regulation and working to identify a suitable legislative slot if required.