Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of (1) the dangers of the use of electric scooters on public highways, and (2) any safety measures which may be required as a result.

E-scooters are a new vehicle type and evidence around their associated benefits and risks is limited. However, a recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) concluded that the risks of using a bicycle or e-scooter are broadly comparable.

We are using on-road trials of rental e-scooters to further understand the benefits, risks and wider impacts of e-scooters. Vehicles used in the trials must all meet a set of safety standards, and their speed, power and weight are all limited to constrain how an e-scooter can be used. Users receive a form of training before using the vehicle for the first time and are being actively encouraged to wear a protective helmet.