TfL considers increasing e-scooter speed limit and decreasing age limit

[MrJeeves]

From: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/10/19/tfl-e-scooter-speed-limit-lower-age-restriction/

Currently, the capital’s fleet of nearly 5,000 rental e-scooters cannot exceed a speed of 12.5mph, but a report by London Councils, the city’s local government association, has revealed that TfL wants to raise that limit to 15.5mph.

It also says TfL is considering reducing the age limit for all e-scooter manufacturers in the trial to just 16, as long as the rider has a provisional driving licence.

At present, the device operator can set its own rules. Lime requires a rider to be at least 18, while Voi has a lower age limit of 16.

However, the report, by the chair of the London Council‘s Transport & Environment Committee, notes that the relaxing of rules can only happen once a “geofencing” safety issue which “creates a significant risk to the rider” is resolved.

 

[renegademaster]

Im assuming they dont have the power to legalise private ones,

 

[SWT_USER]

I'm not against that, probably even up to 20mph so they can keep up with traffic.

The priority for these though has to be some proper legislation, rather than fiddling around with hire schemes.

 

[hwl]

I'm not against that, probably even up to 20mph so they can keep up with traffic.

The priority for these though has to be some proper legislation, rather than fiddling around with hire schemes.

The 12.5mph predated the standardisation across much of Europe of 25kmh (15.53mph) so this is largely a standardisation so e scooters everywhere can have the same software

 

[Meerkat]

I'm not against that, probably even up to 20mph so they can keep up with traffic.

The priority for these though has to be some proper legislation, rather than fiddling around with hire schemes.

No, because they are ridden on pavements, and are a danger to pedestrians (and just generally a bit of a dangerous nuisance)

 

[Bletchleyite]

No, because they are ridden on pavements, and are a danger to pedestrians (and just generally a bit of a dangerous nuisance)

They're basically the same in risk posed as a bicycle and should simply be treated under the exact same legislation.

I could see sense in 20mph for these and bikes/e-bikes because they can keep up with urban traffic and so are more likely to stick to the road. Obviously anything capable of higher than that under power would be considered a motorcycle and come under that legislation, requiring helmets and insurance. Having said that they're less stable than bikes (I use the hire ones quite a lot) so maybe 15.5mph is a better top speed.

 

[SWT_USER]

No, because they are ridden on pavements, and are a danger to pedestrians (and just generally a bit of a dangerous nuisance)

As are cars, and they are completely unlimited.

I would guess that e-scooters (and bikes) would be less likely to ride on the pavement if they were able to safely ride in traffic - 20mph would help this.

 

[Meerkat]

They're basically the same in risk posed as a bicycle and should simply be treated under the exact same legislation.

I could see sense in 20mph for these and bikes/e-bikes because they can keep up with urban traffic and so are more likely to stick to the road.

They very much arent. A bike is actually quite hard to weave through pedestrians and street furniture because of the turning circle, length, width of handlebars, and awkwardness of stopping and accelerating from stationary. Muppets on e-scooters weave in and out of pedestrians on busy pavements and accelerate almost instantly.

And they are not going to get ridden on the road - half the scratters on bikes ride on the pavement, even on residential roads. Would you want to ride a little wheeled scooter through the potholes and drain covers?

And they are even harder to stop or identify than a cyclist.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They very much arent. A bike is actually quite hard to weave through pedestrians and street furniture because of the turning circle, length, width of handlebars, and awkwardness of stopping and accelerating from stationary. Muppets on e-scooters weave in and out of pedestrians on busy pavements and accelerate almost instantly.

I use Lime e-bikes and e-scooters a lot, and I would definitely say the bikes are more agile and easier to accelerate/ride quickly. The only time I prefer scooters is if I've got a big rucksack as my back doesn't like leaning forward on a bike with one.

 

[Meerkat]

I use Lime e-bikes and e-scooters a lot, and I would definitely say the bikes are more agile and easier to accelerate/ride quickly. The only time I prefer scooters is if I've got a big rucksack as my back doesn't like leaning forward on a bike with one.

I am guessing you aren't the problem though, just as most of us aren't a problem on a push bike but muppets give us a bad public image.
Fortunately the scratters and Deliveroo folk ride illegal e-bikes so they are too fast/big (some of them are ENORMOUS!) to go on the pavements. So I was comparing e-scooters to the cheap mountain bikes that muppets ride on the pavements (I don't understand why adults do this round here - the pavement is really awkward and narrow!)

 

[Jim the Jim]

If you regulate and enforce that they should be for on-road use only then higher speeds are fine, but as it is they are already ridden unreasonably fast on pavements and shared use routes. I think the difference from a push bike is that while it can attain similar speeds, this is quite a lot of effort especially where there's lots of obstacles about, whereas with e-vehicles you basically just have to push a button.

Additionally most of the antisocial riding already seems to come from younger males, and allowing 16 and 17 year olds to ride isn't going to help matters there.