Electric scooters could become legal in Cardiff in "the near future" — but further government guidance is being awaited. The controversial scooters are illegal on public roads in the UK except in areas where there is a trial.
E-scooters have not been trialled anywhere in Wales although rental trials launched in 2020 across 32 areas of England. Privately owned e-scooters are often used illegally on the streets of the Welsh capital, which has led to safety concerns, but Cardiff Council has not yet made a decision on whether it will introduce a trial.
A spokesman for the council said UK Government research has highlighted issues including "resource constraints within local authorities, the legal status of private e-scooters and public perceptions". But he added: "The council will consider opportunities that may arise in the near future depending on the timescales for development of policy, guidance and regulation by the Department for Transport (Dft) and Welsh Government."
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The DfT published a report earlier this month after investigating the pros and cons brought by e-scooters to trial areas. It found that there have been "concerns about the behaviour" of some riders and that pavement riding has caused "particular concern" among disabled and visually impaired people.
But it also pointed to the low-emission transport option increasingly being used for "purposeful journeys". And riders in trial areas have over time shifted away from illegal scooters — which often have higher speed limits and no lighting.
Guide Dogs Cymru's Andrea Gordon, who has been blind all her life, has seen widespread illegal e-scooter use in Cardiff and Swansea. She said: “Guide Dogs research shows that nearly three quarters of people with sight loss who have encountered an e-scooter have had a negative experience. E-scooters are almost silent, so people have little or no warning when they are approaching. Even without a collision, a near miss can rob people with vision impairment of the confidence to go out independently.
“Trials of rental e-scooters have been confined to England thus far and have resulted in considerable confusion, as many people do not understand that it remains illegal to use a privately-owned e-scooter on public land. The Welsh Government is aware of our concerns that people with sight loss will feel forced to change their regular routes or even stay at home to avoid e-scooters, and we have had no indication from the deputy minister that any such trials are planned in Wales.
"However, if trials were to be introduced, it should be made clear that no e-scooters can be used on pavements, and no privately-owned e-scooters can be used at all on public land. We would also call for proper docking stations to be part of any trial so that e-scooters are not left to cause an obstruction following their use.”
Police have recently been issuing Section 59 notices to e-scooter riders in Cardiff. This means if they are caught using one in public again over the next 12 months it will be seized and they could be charged with an offence.
The DfT recently extended trials to May 2024 when a change of e-scooter legislation is expected, according to the BBC. There have been "limited windows" for trials since 2020 and the last one closed in February 2022, a Cardiff Council spokesman told WalesOnline.
A Welsh Government spokesman said e-scooter licensing is a matter for the UK Government. And a DfT spokesperson said: “Safety is at the heart of our e-scooter trials which aim to protect riders, pedestrians and other road users, and we continue to work with local authorities to ensure the trials are as safe as possible.”
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