Agenda item

Report of the Interim Executive Director, Environment.

Members considered a report of the Interim Executive Director, Environment concerning the extension of the Pan-London rental scooter e-trial until May 2026.

The Officer stated that e-scooters were a form of dockless vehicle. They were managed very differently to dockless bikes as they were regulated in a way that dockless bikes were not. The e-scooter trial had been helpful in informing the forthcoming London wide contract and this could also improve dockless bike management.

The Chairman queried whether, if the City of London Corporation declined to participate, it would free up space for more dockless bikes. An Officer confirmed this would be the case, but the amount of increased space would not be sufficient to resolve the space issues. He added that Officers were looking to identify additional parking spaces for e-scooters and bikes. Officers had explored with TfL and London Councils the option of leaving the trial and having more spaces available and they were keen for the Corporation to stay in the trial. They found having a destination like the City of London as part of the trial was useful in understanding how people used e-scooters. The wider learnings for the trial were helpful in terms of informing the broader policy approach to the management of both bikes and scooters in the future.

A Member commented that the behavioural pattern between cyclists and e-scooters was different. He stated that there was a need to find more space for e-bikes rather than leaving the trial to gain more space.

A Member asked why delegated authority was being sought. An Officer stated that another extension was not anticipated but if there was one, it would be of a similar nature and it was considered that it would be appropriate to work with the Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen to process any necessary extensions should this matter arise.

A Member raised concern that if the City was not part of trial, it could increase the number of scooters being left at the periphery of the City. She asked for statistics of the numbers using e-scooters. An Officers stated that statistics showed there had been a year-on-year increase in the number of e-scooter trips on the trial. There had been enforcement against private e-scooter use and anecdotally it seemed the number of private e-scooter users had declined following the rise in the number of private rental e-scooters. The number of rental dockless bikes had also increased significantly.

A Member asked how the safety statistics in the Officer report compared to other forms of transport. An Officer stated that this information had been requested from TfL who had stated that analysis was ongoing and it would take additional time to provide like-for-like figures. He also added that it was difficult to fully capture the rate of safety incidents on e-scooters because Stats 19, the Department for Transport regulated collision and accident reporting guidance and guidelines, did not list e-scooters as a mode of transport.

In response to a question from the Chairman as to why e-scooters were less problematic than e-bikes, an Officer stated that there were less well used than e-bikes and were more tightly controlled through a contract with TfL. They were not legal for use on the public highway and were only permitted to operate as part of these trials. There were also legal controls around the use of e-scooters and rental e-scooters, in particular where they were permitted to end journeys and park. Officers considered that the contractual regulatory environment as well as the legal regulatory environment led to higher rates of compliance and officers would continue to advocate for legislation that would provide additional powers to manage dockless bikes.

RESOLVED – That Members of the Sub-Committee

1.        Approve the City of London Corporation’s participation in the extension of the pan-London rental e-scooter trial until May 2026; and

2.        Delegate authority to approve participation in any further rental e-scooter trials or extensions beyond May 2026 to the Executive Director Environment, in consultation with the Chairs and Deputy Chairs of Planning & Transportation Committee and Streets & Walkways Sub Committee.