Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

James Wild Excerpts
Thursday 8th January 2026

(2 days, 22 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Simon Lightwood Portrait Simon Lightwood
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As part of any future legislation, any regulations—including potentially requiring registration or licence plates—will be publicly consulted on before they come into force.

James Wild Portrait James Wild (North West Norfolk) (Con)
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There are 1 million privately owned scooters, which are illegal to use on public roads. I declare an interest, having bought one a few years ago in the expectation that I would be able to ride it legally by now, but that is permitted only under state-licensed schemes. Why have the Government extended trials that began six years ago by a further two years, rather than getting on with allowing people to use their e-scooters with proportionate regulation to deliver the benefits of micromobility, particularly in areas such as North West Norfolk that have limited public transport?

Simon Lightwood Portrait Simon Lightwood
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The extension of our e-scooter trials will deepen our understanding of e-scooter safety, their impacts on disabled people and pedestrians, and how they can be better integrated with the wider transport systems in communities with different populations and geographies. Extending the trials will give the certainty needed by industry to continue investing in our trials and more time to learn how best to regulate e-scooters.