Six years of dithering: Britain’s e-scooter limbo is choking growth

In a few months’ time, the King will stand up in the House of Lords and read out the Government’s plans for the coming year. If policymakers are serious about economic growth, cleaner air and safer streets, that speech must include legislation that makes e-scooter trials permanent and allows this new form of transport to reach its full potential in the UK.

Six years ago, Voi - the leading European shared mobility operator - launched our first e-scooter scheme here as part of national trials meant to last just one year. Fast forward to today, rental e‑scooters are no longer a novelty; they are part of everyday life.

Across the 18 towns and cities Voi serves, our e-scooters have been used almost 50 million times by more than 2.2 million people, travelling over 72 million miles.

The economic benefits are already visible. Independent analysis has found that Voi’s services boost high street spending by over £70 million a year, while our rider surveys show that over 30% of trips are to and from work, connecting people to jobs and services they might otherwise struggle to reach.

Yet because we are still in “trial” mode, the UK is leaving money on the table. Voi has invested more than £100 million in the UK in the past six years.

Had we been provided with the certainty of a long‑term framework for e-scooters, that figure could be far higher – in line with what we have been able to invest in countries such as Germany and Sweden, where regulation is more mature. That is real money, real jobs and real innovation that the UK says it wants, blocked by inertia.

The environmental benefits aren’t hypothetical either. Voi e‑scooter riders in the UK have already replaced over 14 million car journeys and regularly combine their trips with buses and trains. With the trials due to end in 2028, those gains are at risk if this government kicks e‑scooter legislation into the long grass, like the last one did.

Rental e-scooters have faced their fair share of challenges. But, the trials have shown that rental e‑scooters can be delivered safely and responsibly.

Research has found that serious injuries on Voi e-scooters are “extremely rare”, whilst our overall accident rate has fallen steadily over the past six years. We offer comprehensive training, work closely with disability groups and maintain our fleet to strict, government‑mandated standards.

Alongside rental schemes, there is now a large and growing number of privately owned e‑scooters used, often without clear rules on standards or maintenance.

Thoughtful legislation would also be an opportunity to bring both private and rental use under a common framework, raising safety standards across the board.

The King’s Speech after May’s local elections is the last realistic window in this Parliament to fix this. Ministers have made some encouraging moves - like allowing new trials to launch - and have already said they support e‑scooter legislation “when parliamentary time allows” That time has to be now.

The hard bit is done: along with our local authority partners, we have proved that rental e‑scooters are a safe, sustainable and affordable way to travel. A bill to make the trials permanent and set clear rules for private e‑scooters would unlock investment, support local economies, accelerate progress to net zero and make our streets safer. The King’s Speech must deliver it.

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Christina Moe-Gjerde is the Vice President for the Northern Europe region at Voi Technology. Voi has been responsible for almost 50 million e-scooter rides in the UK since 2020.

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