Question reference: S6W-00464
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Date lodged: 3 June 2021
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Current status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the use of electric scooters on streets is prohibited and, in light of reports suggesting that these vehicles might provide potential environmental benefits, what plans it has to review its position regarding their use.
Answer
Electric scooters (e-scooters) are effectively illegal to ride on streets and in other public places due to a number of pieces of UK-wide and Scottish legislation.
Last summer, the UK Government made some amendments to UK legislation to allow limited trials of rentable e-scooters to take place in local authority areas – aiming to gather evidence on effects of their use in a controlled environment. These amendments were made on a fast-track basis to facilitate rapid progression of trials in English local authorities. The UK Government did not factor-in time in planning the trials for the Scottish Parliament to consider and potentially implement the changes to Scottish law that would be required in order for trials to take place in Scottish local authority areas.
The UK Government has signalled its intention to publish proposals in 2022 for potential further legalisation of e-scooters beyond the current trials. Scottish legislation continues to apply in Scotland which makes use of e-scooters on roads or cycle paths illegal. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor trends as a matter of course in order to inform future policy.