London rental e-scooter trial

Transport for London (TfL) is working with London’s boroughs to trial schemes where you can rent an e-scooter. This will help us understand how e-scooters could help people move around London in greener, more active ways.  

The London rental e-scooter scheme is approved by the Department for Transport (DfT). 

The e-scooters in the trial are the only e-scooters legal to use in public. In London, these legal e-scooters are currently provided by three operators: 

• Dott 
• Lime 
• TIER 
   

Privately owned e-scooters or other powered transporters like hoverboards or Segways are not legal to use in public. They are currently unregulated and don’t have to meet minimum safety standards.  

The legal e-scooters taking part in this trial exceed the minimum safety standards set by Government. In London, our rental e-scooters all have the following safety features: 

• Speed limit capped at 12.5mph 
• Lights at the front and rear, always on during rental 
• Large wheels to cope with different surfaces more easily 
• Unique identification number of every vehicle in case there’s any problems 

To rent an e-scooter, you must be 18 or over and hold a driver’s licence (provisional or full). First-time riders must complete education on how to ride safely in London when they download the app from their chosen operator. 

The trial launched in London in June 2021 and 10 boroughs are taking part: 

• Camden 
• City of London 
• Ealing 
• Hammersmith and Fulham 
• Kensington and Chelsea 
• Lambeth 
• Richmond upon Thames 
• Southwark 
• Tower Hamlets 
• Westminster 

The current trial is due to run to autumn 2023. A new phase will then launch with the following operators:  

• Dott 
• Lime 
• Voi 

We’ll use feedback from customers and others, from both phases of the trial, to improve the scheme. The trials are currently due to end in May 2024.

Feedback was gathered from Londoners to help feed into the National Evaluation of E-scooters Trial Report – which uses data from 2021.  

TfL’s E-scooter Trial team now want to understand more about Londoners’ perceptions of the rental scheme.

Your views will help the team, operators and boroughs improve the scheme. They’ll also inform future policy on these new vehicles. 

Please remember this survey is about the London e-scooter rental scheme. We won’t be able to use or act on comments about private e-scooters as this isn’t in their remit. 

Lizzy from TfL’s E-scooter Trial Team and Vanessa from City Hall will be reading your comments. They’ll be sharing ideas and concerns with e-scooter rental operators and boroughs.  

The TfL E-Scooter Trial Team works closely with City Hall’s Transport Team, London Councils, trial boroughs and the current e-scooter operators to make sure the trial is as safe and effective as possible.