TfL publishes new data on London’s e-scooter rental trial

Credit: Transport for London

Transport for London (TfL), London Councils and e-scooter operators Dott, Lime and TIER Mobility have released data from the first phase of the London rental e-scooter trial, covering June 2021 to November 2022. The trial aimed to gather information on e-scooters to inform future legislation and regulations.

TfL has collaborated with London Councils, participating boroughs and the three e-scooter operators to provide a 24/7 transport service across London. Since the trial’s launch in June 2021, it has expanded significantly, with 10 participating boroughs, over 600 designated parking locations (more than 50% in the carriageway), and over 5,000 e-scooters available for hire.

Over 2.5 million journeys have been made, covering a distance of over 6.46 million kilometres, equivalent to travelling 161 times around the world. The average e-scooter trip duration that has been recorded is 17 minutes, with an average distance of 2.5km.

Safety has been a priority throughout the trial to support the Mayor’s Vision Zero target of eliminating deaths and serious injuries on London’s roads. Operators had been selected based on their ability to meet strict safety requirements and high operating standards. TfL has implemented measures to ensure rider and public safety, including e-scooters with safety features surpassing national standards, such as a speed limit of 12.5mph, larger wheels and continuous lighting during rentals. Private e-scooters remain illegal on roads and cycle lanes.

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TfL has published a factsheet summarising data from the first 18 months of the trial, indicating that fewer than 0.01% of trips resulted in serious injuries. No fatalities have been reported, but operators reported 22 serious injuries. During this phase, over 95% of trips complied with parking rules.

The data from the first 18 months of the trial show that e-scooter trips have saved over 249 tonnes of CO2 emissions. In addition, 32% of users combined e-scooter journeys with public transport. TfL is currently finalising contracts for the next phase of the trial through an open procurement process.

Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport, said: “We’ve been clear that the trial must be focussed on safety and support the Mayor’s Vision Zero target to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries on London’s roads. The rental vehicles in London have high safety standards which go beyond the national standards, including speed limits and parking limited to clearly marked bays, to ensure the safety of anyone riding rental e-scooters and other members of the public.”

Helen Sharp, TfL’s e-scooter trial lead, said: “E-scooters could play an important role in ensuring a green and sustainable future for London and we delighted to be celebrating the two-year anniversary of the London rental trial. We’re working closely with operators, councils and people across London to build on our plans for the next phase of the trial, which will help us build on its successes so far.”