Rental e-scooters to be made legal on roads from 4th July in Great Britain

Rental e-scooters will become legal on roads in Great Britain from this Saturday, in a bid to ease pressure on public transport amid the coronavirus crisis.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has published guidance for e-scooter-for-hire firms and said the first rentable e-scooters could be available as early as next week.

The vehicles are banned on pavements, will be limited to 15.5mph and it is recommended that riders wear helmets.

Privately owned e-scooters remain illegal on roads.

Under the new rules set out by the DfT, local authorities and devolved administrations in England, Scotland and Wales can allow or run e-scooter sharing schemes in their areas as part of 12-month trials.

Riders will need a full or provisional car, motorcycle or moped licence to use the vehicles, and they must be aged 16 or over.

Transport Minister Rachel Maclean said the trials would allow the government to test whether e-scooters could offer "clean and cost-effective travel that may also help ease the burden on the transport network, provide another green alternative to get around and allow for social distancing".

Scooter-sharing schemes have previously faced criticism over dumped scooters, which have been a problem in Paris, so local authorities will need to establish rules to avoid vehicles being abandoned on pavements.

The DfT said in a statement that the regulations only cover rental schemes "to avoid a flood of poor-quality scooters onto the streets".