Crucial decision about future of electric scooters in Milton Keynes to be made next month as trial reaches its end date
MK’s e-scooter hire trial is to be the subject of debate next month as the official trial period comes to an end.
Milton Keyneswas one of 32 cities aroundEnglandselected for the trial in 2020.
Since then, the council has worked with providers Lime, Spin and Ginger to hire out hundreds of the 15mph machines.
They have become a familiar site on city paths and redways, with some people loving them as an easy and eco-friendly form of transport.
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Butothers loathe them, saying they pose a danger to pedestrians and cyclists and are unsightly when abandoned.
In other parts of the country, riding an e-scooter is still illegal in any public place. But MK, as a trial destination, was given a special temporary traffic order for this law to be lifted.
However, the official trial period comes to an end in November. And in October MK Council must decide whether or not it should continue.
They have the power, if they wish, to extend the trial until 2024. But no decision has yet been made about whether they should take up this option.
An MK Council spokesman told the Citizen this week: “We’re reviewing feedback and will make a decision in October.”
Meanwhile, officials in one of the other trial cities, Canterbury inKent, have already made up their minds.They intend to halt the trialand ban the scooters completely due to “safety concerns”.
Kent County Councillor David Brazier told national press: “As we were nearing the end of the trial, I decided to truncate it before someone was seriously hurt.”
The move follows reports of a Kent pensioner who was seriously injured after colliding with an e-scooter being ridden on the pavement. The 80-year-old suffered a broken wrist, cracked jaw and cheekbones.
Meanwhile, e-scooters could still become a common sight all over the country, even without the trials, as the government continues consultation about itsproposed new Transport Bill. This would legalise the use of electric scooters in the UK, in line with countries such as France, Germany and Austria.
It means the machines would have to abide by the same road traffic legislation as mopeds and motorcycles. But alreadycampaigners are calling for strict safety lawsto be put in place if this happens.