More than 3m trips have been made on rented London e-scooters since Transport for London (TfL) began its first trial of them in June 2021.
Now Dott, Lime and Voi have been selected as suppliers for a second phase of TfL’s rental e-scooter trial which will be expanded to include the South of Lambeth.
The new phase will test new technologies including pavement riding detection, parking compliance and audible vehicle alerts.
TfL said the operators were chosen in a procurement process which assessed their ability to meet strict safety requirements and high operating standards.
Over the past two years TfL and the coordinating body London Councilshave worked with participating boroughs and operators to improve the use of “geofencing” technology and to increase the number of parking bays. More than 600 are now available in the trial area covering 10 London boroughs.
The next phase will see an expansion in coverage, including to the south of Lambeth, with around 190 new parking bays.
TfL said safety would continue to be at the heart of the trial, with rental e-scooters offering safety benefits over private e-scooters (which remain unlawful on public roads).
These include:
- A lower maximum speed of 12.5mph
- Lights at the front and the rear of the vehicles that are always on throughout any rental
- GPS-controlled parking and no-go zones
- A unique identification number plate on every vehicle
- A higher standard for fire and battery safety management
TfL said fewer than 0.001 per cent of trips so far had resulted in a serious injury – demonstrating the benefits of clear standards and elevated safety requirements for e-scooters.
TfL, London Councils and London boroughs will now explore the design of a single co-ordinated scheme to manage dockless e-bikes and e-scooters in London.
The contract would be designed to improve parking of the vehicles and to increase the quality and sustainability of the service,” TfL said.
“London’s rental e-scooters are a great way to get around London – provided that they’re used and parked safely,” said Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner.
“The first phase of the e-scooter trial has been hugely popular and the findings are helping us develop our approach in London.
“I look forward to TfL launching the next phase, to see how e-scooters can be rolled out successfully in the capital, building a better, greener, safer London for all.”
Helen Sharp, TfL’s e-scooter trial lead, said: “There are new improvements planned on parking compliance and an increase in the number of parking spaces and in the number of boroughs taking part.
“Safety remains our number one priority for this trial, and we will work closely with the e-scooter operators, London Councils and participating boroughs to ensure we continue to meet rigorous standards.
“We will also continue to work closely with our stakeholders, including TfL’s Independent Disability Advisory Group, ensuring the trial meets the needs of everybody travelling through London.”
Cllr Deirdre Costigan, acting chair of London Councils’ transport and environment committee, said while private e-scooters remained illegal, “we will continue to look closely at data and insights to see what regulations could allow e-scooters to play a part in a more sustainable future for London”.
Hal Stevenson, director of policy UKI at Lime, said data collected over the past two years showed “Londoners are truly embracing greener, alternative modes of transport to get around the city.
“With over five years’ of experience operating in the city, we look forward to expanding the scheme into 2024 to help even more people realise the benefits e-scooters can bring for commuting, running errands … or simply skipping traffic.”
Standard pricing is an unlock fee of £1 for Dott and Lime, followed by a per minute fee of £0.21 (Dott), £0.17 (Lime). Unlocking for Voi is free with a minute fee of £0.12.
