E-scooters could be officially allowed on roads in Leeds under council trial
Leeds City Council is set to apply to the government for a trial of allowing the electronic vehicles on highways around the city.
The riding of e-scooters could be formally allowed on public roads as part of a pilot scheme by the council.
Leeds City Council is set to apply to the government for a trial of allowing the electronic vehicles on highways around the city.
A council report said the use of scooters could cut car journeys and help ease traffic congestion.
It said: “In the UK, it is illegal to ride a privately-owned e-scooter on public roads, pavements, cycle lanes or parks.
“This is due to them being classified as motor vehicles, which would otherwise require insurance, tax and registration.”
Trials of e-scooter use were first launched in July 2020 by the Department for Transport (DfT).
Leeds expressed an interest that year, but retracted its application due to the “the complexity and scale of the work associated with the re-designation of cycle tracks,”
But increased use of the scooters could cut carbon emissions and help people get to work faster, the report said.
It said: “Typically, e-scooter riders report that 20 per cent of the trips they make replace a car journey.
“E-scooters provide a convenient, sustainable and fun transport mode to those looking to make short trips which may otherwise have been taken by car.”
A trial scheme would be expected to start from April next year, the council said.
Leeds, along with other councils, already operates an e-bike share scheme which has suffered from vandalism, the report said.
An e-scooter trial in Sunderland was ended in 2023 due to damage of vehicles.
But anti-social behaviour linked to the Leeds bike scheme had reduced since reaching a peak in 2024.
The report said: “E-scooters are a more controllable and resilient vehicle type when compared with the e-bike, which saw the highest levels of vandalism in the bike share scheme.”