Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to funding levels for cycling and walking infrastructure on local authority plans to create safe spaces for active travel.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government remains fully committed to the vision that by 2030 half of all journeys in towns and cities are walked or cycled and it will invest over £3 billion in active travel over the course of this Parliament. The £3 billion also includes funding from wider sources such as the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements and the Levelling Up Fund. Active Travel England estimates that its dedicated investment programme between 2022/23 and 2024/25 will deliver 90 million additional walking and cycling stages by 2025.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to (a) encourage active travel and (b) increase safety for (i) cyclists and (ii) pedestrians in cities.
Answered by Jesse Norman
This Government has done more than any other to support active travel, and over the course of this Parliament it will be investing around £3 billion to boost walking, cycling and wheeling across England. Active Travel England is working with local authorities to ensure that this funding delivers safe and high-quality infrastructure. This, coupled with other initiatives including the recent changes to The Highway Code, will make the roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when a Minister from his Department last made an official visit to Arfon constituency.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I both live in Wales and serve Welsh constituencies. We have a consistent presence in Wales as we conduct many visits, events and meetings in Wales on a regular basis.
Details of Ministerial visits and meetings are published on the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales’ website and in Quarterly Ministerial Transparency Returns. In addition, visits and meetings conducted in support of the Wales Office priorities are published in the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales Annual Report and Accounts.
The UK Government has provided extensive support to Arfon. A typical household in Wales has received almost £2000 in UK Government support to help with the cost of living. This includes around 157,000 payments delivered in Arfon through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. During the Covid-19 pandemic around 9,000 jobs were supported through the furlough scheme, over £22 million was claimed through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and over £36 million was given to businesses through government backed business loans
The UK Government has also supported innovation within Arfon with over £10 million awarded by Innovate UK since April 2019. Arfon has also received over £70,000 through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme to level up local sports facilities.
In addition, Gwynedd, the local authority for the Arfon constituency, is receiving over £24 million from the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Gwynedd is also receiving over £18 million from the Levelling Up Fund for the LLewyrch o’r LLechi project which includes upgrades to walking and cycling routes for the National Slate Museum. This is in addition to the £250,000 awarded to the Tyn Llan Pub in Llandwrog through the Community Ownership Fund. Arfon is also benefitting from the £240 million North Wales Growth Deal, including a £3 million investment in the Digital Signalling Processing Centre at Bangor University.
This Government is investing in Wales like never before; over £790 million in four City and Regional Growth Deals covering the whole of Wales, £585 million for local authorities to invest through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, including over £100 million for the Multiply adult numeracy programme, £330 million in capital investment through the Levelling Up Fund and £3.2 million to preserve community assets through the Community Ownership Fund. Wales will benefit from two Freeports backed by £52 million, the British Business Bank’s new £130m Regional Investment Fund, and from Project Gigabit which will enable hard to reach communities to access lightning-fast gigabit capable broadband.
Asked by: Gerald Jones (Labour - Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when a Minister from his Department last visited Dwyfor Meirionnydd constituency.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I both live in Wales and serve Welsh constituencies. We have a consistent presence in Wales as we conduct many visits, events and meetings in Wales on a regular basis.
Details of Ministerial visits and meetings are published on the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales’ website and in Quarterly Ministerial Transparency Returns. In addition, visits and meetings conducted in support of the Wales Office priorities are published in the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales Annual Report and Accounts.
The UK Government has provided extensive support to Dwyfor Meirionnydd. A typical household in Wales has received almost £2000 in UK Government support to help with the cost of living. This includes over 203,000 payments delivered in Dwyfor Meirionnydd through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. During the Covid-19 pandemic around 11,000 jobs were supported through the furlough scheme, around £34 million was claimed through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and over £62 million was given to businesses through government-backed business loans.
The UK Government has also supported innovation within Dwyfor Meirionnydd with over £680,000 awarded by Innovate UK since April 2019. Dwyfor Meirionnydd has also received over £23,000 through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme to level up local sports facilities.
In addition, Gwynedd, the local authority for the Dwyfor Meirionnydd constituency, is receiving over £24 million from the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Gwynedd is also receiving over £18 million from the Levelling Up Fund for the LLewyrch o’r LLechi project which includes upgrades to walking and cycling routes for the National Slate Museum. Dwyfor Meirionnydd will also benefit from the £240 million North Wales Growth Deal.
This Government is investing in Wales like never before; over £790 million in four City and Regional Growth Deals covering the whole of Wales, £585 million for local authorities to invest through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, including over £100 million for the Multiply adult numeracy programme, £330 million in capital investment through the Levelling Up Fund and £3.2 million to preserve community assets through the Community Ownership Fund. Wales will benefit from two Freeports backed by £52 million, the British Business Bank’s new £130m Regional Investment Fund, and from Project Gigabit which will enable hard to reach communities to access lightning-fast gigabit capable broadband.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with relevant stakeholders on the potential merits of banning silent e-scooters.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Only e-scooters in Government-approved rental trials can be used legally.
Private e-scooters remain illegal to use on all public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and rental e-scooters can only be used in national rental e-scooter trial areas. E-scooter trials are currently live in 23 areas across England and will run until 31 May 2024.
Safety for road users and pedestrians will always be a priority for the Department. In the guidance for the trials provided by the Department, it is advised that local authorities should ensure e-scooters do not become obstructive to pedestrians. The Department also recognises e-scooters may pose a particular challenge to those with disabilities. Operators and local authorities participating in the trials have been working with organisations representing disabled groups, such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Some of the outcomes have been designing parking racks, improved rider education and training, as well as a mandatory requirement for all e-scooters in the trial to be fitted with a horn or bell to warn other road users of their approach.
All e-scooters in the rental trials must have a horn or bell to warn other road users of their approach. Operators are also exploring installing sound or replicating artificial engine noise on their trial e-scooters to assist with detection.
Statistics on personal injury collisions involving e-scooters in Great Britain reported by police via the STATS19 system are available from 2020, with the latest provisional statistics for 2022. The number of reported injury collisions involving at least one e-scooter, involving a pedestrian casualty, or more than one vehicle, are shown in the table below.
Please note that a collision could involve both pedestrian casualties and multiple vehicles, in which case it could be counted more than once in the table. Statistics on collisions involving uninjured pedestrians are not collected.
Year | Total e-scooter collisions | Involving at least one pedestrian casualty | Involving another vehicle |
2020 | 460 | 57 | 377 |
2021 | 1352 | 227 | 1028 |
2022 (provisional) | 1369 | 226 | 1027 |
The Department has published an evaluation of the e-scooter trials covering the period from July 2020 to December 2021. This provided an assessment of the impact of our policies on trends in usage, including trip numbers. The evaluation findings are available here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-evaluation-of-e-scooter-trials-report.
As part of the trials evaluation, the Department has gathered information about modal shift. While the evaluation found that rental e-scooter journeys most commonly replaced walking journeys (42%), followed by private motor vehicles or taxis (21%), the proportion of walking journeys being replaced reduced over time, while the proportion of private motor vehicle or taxi journeys being replaced increased over time.
Active travel is at the heart of the Government’s agenda, and it is investing more in it than any previous Government. The Department wants cycling and walking to be the natural first choice for shorter journeys, helping to improve air quality and health while reducing congestion on our roads. The Department has set an ambitious vision that by 2030, half of all journeys in towns and cities are cycled or walked.
The Department estimates that 2% (1,091,823 people) of adults, equivalent to one million people aged 16+, owned an e-scooter in England as of June 20221 . This figure is from the Transport and Technology Tracker (June 2022; base = 3162). A 95 % confidence interval gives a range of 847,660 - 1,335,986 people age 16+ who own an e-scooter in England.
The Department is currently considering options for e-scooter regulations that would be enabled by new primary legislation for micromobility vehicles, which the Government intends to introduce when parliamentary time allows.
No decisions have been made, and we will consult on any new regulations before they come into force so that all interested parties have a chance to shape the new regime.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many collisions there have been between people riding e-scooters and (a) pedestrians and (b) other road users in each of the last five years.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Only e-scooters in Government-approved rental trials can be used legally.
Private e-scooters remain illegal to use on all public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and rental e-scooters can only be used in national rental e-scooter trial areas. E-scooter trials are currently live in 23 areas across England and will run until 31 May 2024.
Safety for road users and pedestrians will always be a priority for the Department. In the guidance for the trials provided by the Department, it is advised that local authorities should ensure e-scooters do not become obstructive to pedestrians. The Department also recognises e-scooters may pose a particular challenge to those with disabilities. Operators and local authorities participating in the trials have been working with organisations representing disabled groups, such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Some of the outcomes have been designing parking racks, improved rider education and training, as well as a mandatory requirement for all e-scooters in the trial to be fitted with a horn or bell to warn other road users of their approach.
All e-scooters in the rental trials must have a horn or bell to warn other road users of their approach. Operators are also exploring installing sound or replicating artificial engine noise on their trial e-scooters to assist with detection.
Statistics on personal injury collisions involving e-scooters in Great Britain reported by police via the STATS19 system are available from 2020, with the latest provisional statistics for 2022. The number of reported injury collisions involving at least one e-scooter, involving a pedestrian casualty, or more than one vehicle, are shown in the table below.
Please note that a collision could involve both pedestrian casualties and multiple vehicles, in which case it could be counted more than once in the table. Statistics on collisions involving uninjured pedestrians are not collected.
Year | Total e-scooter collisions | Involving at least one pedestrian casualty | Involving another vehicle |
2020 | 460 | 57 | 377 |
2021 | 1352 | 227 | 1028 |
2022 (provisional) | 1369 | 226 | 1027 |
The Department has published an evaluation of the e-scooter trials covering the period from July 2020 to December 2021. This provided an assessment of the impact of our policies on trends in usage, including trip numbers. The evaluation findings are available here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-evaluation-of-e-scooter-trials-report.
As part of the trials evaluation, the Department has gathered information about modal shift. While the evaluation found that rental e-scooter journeys most commonly replaced walking journeys (42%), followed by private motor vehicles or taxis (21%), the proportion of walking journeys being replaced reduced over time, while the proportion of private motor vehicle or taxi journeys being replaced increased over time.
Active travel is at the heart of the Government’s agenda, and it is investing more in it than any previous Government. The Department wants cycling and walking to be the natural first choice for shorter journeys, helping to improve air quality and health while reducing congestion on our roads. The Department has set an ambitious vision that by 2030, half of all journeys in towns and cities are cycled or walked.
The Department estimates that 2% (1,091,823 people) of adults, equivalent to one million people aged 16+, owned an e-scooter in England as of June 20221 . This figure is from the Transport and Technology Tracker (June 2022; base = 3162). A 95 % confidence interval gives a range of 847,660 - 1,335,986 people age 16+ who own an e-scooter in England.
The Department is currently considering options for e-scooter regulations that would be enabled by new primary legislation for micromobility vehicles, which the Government intends to introduce when parliamentary time allows.
No decisions have been made, and we will consult on any new regulations before they come into force so that all interested parties have a chance to shape the new regime.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of trends in the level of use of of e-scooters.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Only e-scooters in Government-approved rental trials can be used legally.
Private e-scooters remain illegal to use on all public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and rental e-scooters can only be used in national rental e-scooter trial areas. E-scooter trials are currently live in 23 areas across England and will run until 31 May 2024.
Safety for road users and pedestrians will always be a priority for the Department. In the guidance for the trials provided by the Department, it is advised that local authorities should ensure e-scooters do not become obstructive to pedestrians. The Department also recognises e-scooters may pose a particular challenge to those with disabilities. Operators and local authorities participating in the trials have been working with organisations representing disabled groups, such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Some of the outcomes have been designing parking racks, improved rider education and training, as well as a mandatory requirement for all e-scooters in the trial to be fitted with a horn or bell to warn other road users of their approach.
All e-scooters in the rental trials must have a horn or bell to warn other road users of their approach. Operators are also exploring installing sound or replicating artificial engine noise on their trial e-scooters to assist with detection.
Statistics on personal injury collisions involving e-scooters in Great Britain reported by police via the STATS19 system are available from 2020, with the latest provisional statistics for 2022. The number of reported injury collisions involving at least one e-scooter, involving a pedestrian casualty, or more than one vehicle, are shown in the table below.
Please note that a collision could involve both pedestrian casualties and multiple vehicles, in which case it could be counted more than once in the table. Statistics on collisions involving uninjured pedestrians are not collected.
Year | Total e-scooter collisions | Involving at least one pedestrian casualty | Involving another vehicle |
2020 | 460 | 57 | 377 |
2021 | 1352 | 227 | 1028 |
2022 (provisional) | 1369 | 226 | 1027 |
The Department has published an evaluation of the e-scooter trials covering the period from July 2020 to December 2021. This provided an assessment of the impact of our policies on trends in usage, including trip numbers. The evaluation findings are available here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-evaluation-of-e-scooter-trials-report.
As part of the trials evaluation, the Department has gathered information about modal shift. While the evaluation found that rental e-scooter journeys most commonly replaced walking journeys (42%), followed by private motor vehicles or taxis (21%), the proportion of walking journeys being replaced reduced over time, while the proportion of private motor vehicle or taxi journeys being replaced increased over time.
Active travel is at the heart of the Government’s agenda, and it is investing more in it than any previous Government. The Department wants cycling and walking to be the natural first choice for shorter journeys, helping to improve air quality and health while reducing congestion on our roads. The Department has set an ambitious vision that by 2030, half of all journeys in towns and cities are cycled or walked.
The Department estimates that 2% (1,091,823 people) of adults, equivalent to one million people aged 16+, owned an e-scooter in England as of June 20221 . This figure is from the Transport and Technology Tracker (June 2022; base = 3162). A 95 % confidence interval gives a range of 847,660 - 1,335,986 people age 16+ who own an e-scooter in England.
The Department is currently considering options for e-scooter regulations that would be enabled by new primary legislation for micromobility vehicles, which the Government intends to introduce when parliamentary time allows.
No decisions have been made, and we will consult on any new regulations before they come into force so that all interested parties have a chance to shape the new regime.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps to encourage a shift from cars to (a) e-scooters and (b) other forms of active travel.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Only e-scooters in Government-approved rental trials can be used legally.
Private e-scooters remain illegal to use on all public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and rental e-scooters can only be used in national rental e-scooter trial areas. E-scooter trials are currently live in 23 areas across England and will run until 31 May 2024.
Safety for road users and pedestrians will always be a priority for the Department. In the guidance for the trials provided by the Department, it is advised that local authorities should ensure e-scooters do not become obstructive to pedestrians. The Department also recognises e-scooters may pose a particular challenge to those with disabilities. Operators and local authorities participating in the trials have been working with organisations representing disabled groups, such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Some of the outcomes have been designing parking racks, improved rider education and training, as well as a mandatory requirement for all e-scooters in the trial to be fitted with a horn or bell to warn other road users of their approach.
All e-scooters in the rental trials must have a horn or bell to warn other road users of their approach. Operators are also exploring installing sound or replicating artificial engine noise on their trial e-scooters to assist with detection.
Statistics on personal injury collisions involving e-scooters in Great Britain reported by police via the STATS19 system are available from 2020, with the latest provisional statistics for 2022. The number of reported injury collisions involving at least one e-scooter, involving a pedestrian casualty, or more than one vehicle, are shown in the table below.
Please note that a collision could involve both pedestrian casualties and multiple vehicles, in which case it could be counted more than once in the table. Statistics on collisions involving uninjured pedestrians are not collected.
Year | Total e-scooter collisions | Involving at least one pedestrian casualty | Involving another vehicle |
2020 | 460 | 57 | 377 |
2021 | 1352 | 227 | 1028 |
2022 (provisional) | 1369 | 226 | 1027 |
The Department has published an evaluation of the e-scooter trials covering the period from July 2020 to December 2021. This provided an assessment of the impact of our policies on trends in usage, including trip numbers. The evaluation findings are available here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-evaluation-of-e-scooter-trials-report.
As part of the trials evaluation, the Department has gathered information about modal shift. While the evaluation found that rental e-scooter journeys most commonly replaced walking journeys (42%), followed by private motor vehicles or taxis (21%), the proportion of walking journeys being replaced reduced over time, while the proportion of private motor vehicle or taxi journeys being replaced increased over time.
Active travel is at the heart of the Government’s agenda, and it is investing more in it than any previous Government. The Department wants cycling and walking to be the natural first choice for shorter journeys, helping to improve air quality and health while reducing congestion on our roads. The Department has set an ambitious vision that by 2030, half of all journeys in towns and cities are cycled or walked.
The Department estimates that 2% (1,091,823 people) of adults, equivalent to one million people aged 16+, owned an e-scooter in England as of June 20221 . This figure is from the Transport and Technology Tracker (June 2022; base = 3162). A 95 % confidence interval gives a range of 847,660 - 1,335,986 people age 16+ who own an e-scooter in England.
The Department is currently considering options for e-scooter regulations that would be enabled by new primary legislation for micromobility vehicles, which the Government intends to introduce when parliamentary time allows.
No decisions have been made, and we will consult on any new regulations before they come into force so that all interested parties have a chance to shape the new regime.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of the use of e-scooters on pedestrians.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Only e-scooters in Government-approved rental trials can be used legally.
Private e-scooters remain illegal to use on all public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and rental e-scooters can only be used in national rental e-scooter trial areas. E-scooter trials are currently live in 23 areas across England and will run until 31 May 2024.
Safety for road users and pedestrians will always be a priority for the Department. In the guidance for the trials provided by the Department, it is advised that local authorities should ensure e-scooters do not become obstructive to pedestrians. The Department also recognises e-scooters may pose a particular challenge to those with disabilities. Operators and local authorities participating in the trials have been working with organisations representing disabled groups, such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Some of the outcomes have been designing parking racks, improved rider education and training, as well as a mandatory requirement for all e-scooters in the trial to be fitted with a horn or bell to warn other road users of their approach.
All e-scooters in the rental trials must have a horn or bell to warn other road users of their approach. Operators are also exploring installing sound or replicating artificial engine noise on their trial e-scooters to assist with detection.
Statistics on personal injury collisions involving e-scooters in Great Britain reported by police via the STATS19 system are available from 2020, with the latest provisional statistics for 2022. The number of reported injury collisions involving at least one e-scooter, involving a pedestrian casualty, or more than one vehicle, are shown in the table below.
Please note that a collision could involve both pedestrian casualties and multiple vehicles, in which case it could be counted more than once in the table. Statistics on collisions involving uninjured pedestrians are not collected.
Year | Total e-scooter collisions | Involving at least one pedestrian casualty | Involving another vehicle |
2020 | 460 | 57 | 377 |
2021 | 1352 | 227 | 1028 |
2022 (provisional) | 1369 | 226 | 1027 |
The Department has published an evaluation of the e-scooter trials covering the period from July 2020 to December 2021. This provided an assessment of the impact of our policies on trends in usage, including trip numbers. The evaluation findings are available here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-evaluation-of-e-scooter-trials-report.
As part of the trials evaluation, the Department has gathered information about modal shift. While the evaluation found that rental e-scooter journeys most commonly replaced walking journeys (42%), followed by private motor vehicles or taxis (21%), the proportion of walking journeys being replaced reduced over time, while the proportion of private motor vehicle or taxi journeys being replaced increased over time.
Active travel is at the heart of the Government’s agenda, and it is investing more in it than any previous Government. The Department wants cycling and walking to be the natural first choice for shorter journeys, helping to improve air quality and health while reducing congestion on our roads. The Department has set an ambitious vision that by 2030, half of all journeys in towns and cities are cycled or walked.
The Department estimates that 2% (1,091,823 people) of adults, equivalent to one million people aged 16+, owned an e-scooter in England as of June 20221 . This figure is from the Transport and Technology Tracker (June 2022; base = 3162). A 95 % confidence interval gives a range of 847,660 - 1,335,986 people age 16+ who own an e-scooter in England.
The Department is currently considering options for e-scooter regulations that would be enabled by new primary legislation for micromobility vehicles, which the Government intends to introduce when parliamentary time allows.
No decisions have been made, and we will consult on any new regulations before they come into force so that all interested parties have a chance to shape the new regime.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the number of privately-owned e-scooters.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Only e-scooters in Government-approved rental trials can be used legally.
Private e-scooters remain illegal to use on all public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and rental e-scooters can only be used in national rental e-scooter trial areas. E-scooter trials are currently live in 23 areas across England and will run until 31 May 2024.
Safety for road users and pedestrians will always be a priority for the Department. In the guidance for the trials provided by the Department, it is advised that local authorities should ensure e-scooters do not become obstructive to pedestrians. The Department also recognises e-scooters may pose a particular challenge to those with disabilities. Operators and local authorities participating in the trials have been working with organisations representing disabled groups, such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Some of the outcomes have been designing parking racks, improved rider education and training, as well as a mandatory requirement for all e-scooters in the trial to be fitted with a horn or bell to warn other road users of their approach.
All e-scooters in the rental trials must have a horn or bell to warn other road users of their approach. Operators are also exploring installing sound or replicating artificial engine noise on their trial e-scooters to assist with detection.
Statistics on personal injury collisions involving e-scooters in Great Britain reported by police via the STATS19 system are available from 2020, with the latest provisional statistics for 2022. The number of reported injury collisions involving at least one e-scooter, involving a pedestrian casualty, or more than one vehicle, are shown in the table below.
Please note that a collision could involve both pedestrian casualties and multiple vehicles, in which case it could be counted more than once in the table. Statistics on collisions involving uninjured pedestrians are not collected.
Year | Total e-scooter collisions | Involving at least one pedestrian casualty | Involving another vehicle |
2020 | 460 | 57 | 377 |
2021 | 1352 | 227 | 1028 |
2022 (provisional) | 1369 | 226 | 1027 |
The Department has published an evaluation of the e-scooter trials covering the period from July 2020 to December 2021. This provided an assessment of the impact of our policies on trends in usage, including trip numbers. The evaluation findings are available here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-evaluation-of-e-scooter-trials-report.
As part of the trials evaluation, the Department has gathered information about modal shift. While the evaluation found that rental e-scooter journeys most commonly replaced walking journeys (42%), followed by private motor vehicles or taxis (21%), the proportion of walking journeys being replaced reduced over time, while the proportion of private motor vehicle or taxi journeys being replaced increased over time.
Active travel is at the heart of the Government’s agenda, and it is investing more in it than any previous Government. The Department wants cycling and walking to be the natural first choice for shorter journeys, helping to improve air quality and health while reducing congestion on our roads. The Department has set an ambitious vision that by 2030, half of all journeys in towns and cities are cycled or walked.
The Department estimates that 2% (1,091,823 people) of adults, equivalent to one million people aged 16+, owned an e-scooter in England as of June 20221 . This figure is from the Transport and Technology Tracker (June 2022; base = 3162). A 95 % confidence interval gives a range of 847,660 - 1,335,986 people age 16+ who own an e-scooter in England.
The Department is currently considering options for e-scooter regulations that would be enabled by new primary legislation for micromobility vehicles, which the Government intends to introduce when parliamentary time allows.
No decisions have been made, and we will consult on any new regulations before they come into force so that all interested parties have a chance to shape the new regime.