Electric scooters could soon be on ALL British pavements – and to RENT like Boris Bikes
Tech company Bird - who run similar schemes across the globe - want the government to reverse a barmy 1835 law that inadvertently bans them from the roads
ELECTRIC scooters could soon be allowed on ALL British pavements - and pedestrians will be able to rent them like Boris Bikes.
Tech company Bird - who run similar schemes across the globe - want the government to reverse a barmy 1835 law that inadvertently bans them from the roads.
Transport chiefs indicated they would consider changing the law to allow them on public roads.
Riders stand on the scooters and pull a handlebar lever to start an electric motor.
They are legal in cities across Europe and the US - and the company behind them wants to test them in Bristol, Cambridge, and Oxford.
A Bristol City Council spokesman said: "We are due to have initial meetings in the new year with Bird to look at their scooters and see how they might fit in as one of the sustainable transport options in Bristol."
Electric scooters and the law
ELECTRIC scooters are classed as Personal Light Electric Vehicles, which makes them illegal on British roads and pavements.
Any commuters using them on roads face arrest and a £75 fine.
A spokesman for Bird added: "We believe in giving people an environmentally friendly alternative to the car. Bird can help cities cut congestion and improve air quality.
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"We've had exploratory conversations with cities but will not launch on public roads before we are legally able to."
The electric scooters can be hired by app for just £1 per go, and cost 20p per minute of use.
The 1835 Highway Act bans powered scooters from public paths or roads.
The devices have been rolled out in London's Olympic Park, which is private property - meaning vehicle laws don't apply.
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