When I step out of Southampton Central railway station, it takes me just seconds to spot an e-scooter.
asserted
it → step → scooter
In this city, these devices have become a normal part of the transport ecosystem, along with e-bikes.
asserted
devices → become → bikes
"It's just the most convenient way to commute from home to the station and back," says Keith Reed, who I speak to as he arrives at the station to catch a train to London.
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he → commute → London
Keith says uses rental e-scooters twice a week.
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Keith → say → scooters
His alternative option would be his bike, but he'd then have to worry about where to leave it.
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he → have → it
Around the city, there are parking areas for bright orange rental devices everywhere - but they're not necessarily a permanent feature.
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they → be → devices
Southampton hosts one of the numerous government-backed trials around England.
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Southampton → host → England
This one has been going on since 2021.
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one → go → 2021
It also doesn't take long to find e-scooters which aren't part of the trial, but instead are owned by individuals.
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which → take → individuals
I see a man riding one along the pavement outside a parade of shops.
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man → see → shops
He doesn't want to stop and talk.
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He → want → ?
These privately owned e-scooters are illegal to ride on public roads across the UK, but they've proliferated regardless.
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they → own → UK
One expert told me the situation was a "Wild West".
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situation → tell → me
Among people I spoke to in Southampton, the same concerns came up time and time again: "They're a blinking nuisance," says elderly pedestrian Fred.
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Fred → speak → Southampton
Another shopper, Martin, says he's "very concerned" whenever he sees them racing through precincts: "An accident's almost inevitable."
asserted
accident → say → precincts
The endgame of the trials is to reach a decision on whether to make permanent hired e-scooter schemes such as the one Keith uses - and whether to bring in legislation that would legalise and regulate privately owned e-scooters too.
asserted
that → reach → scooters
But six years since the trials started around England, there's still no conclusion - and as the UK government has responsibility for road traffic legislation across Great Britain, officials in Scotland and Wales say they are waiting on Westminster to act.
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they → start → Westminster
So why is it taking so long for the government to decide what to do, and what are the consequences of delay?
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consequences → take → delay
What does the evidence tell us about how safe these things are?
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things → tell → us
And why are people using them in the first place - are they here to stay as a useful part of the transport offer, or will they end up being viewed as a pest on our streets?
asserted
they → use → streets
What are e-scooters - and who rides them?
asserted
who → rid → them
You'd recognise an e-scooter if you saw one.
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you → recognise → one
The Department for Transport's (DfT's) definition of an e-scooter includes no pedals, two wheels and a maximum continuous power rating of 500W.
And so far, the trials around England appear to have proved popular.
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trials → include → England
According to DfT research, fom January 2022 to May 2024, 36.9 million trips were made across 30 trial areas outside of London.
uncertain
trips → accord → London
On average, nearly 19,500 e-scooters were available to hire every day.
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scooters → hire → ?
Dr Yasir Ali, a reader in Transport Modelling at Loughborough University, says e-scooters are "complementary" to other modes of transport, rather than replacing them.
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scooters → say → them
Due to factors such as range and being exposed to the elements, they are less suitable for longer trips, rural areas with less infrastructure or in bad weather.
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they → expose → weather
They work best as "a first- and last-mile solution" in urban areas, to reduce reliance on cars for short trips.
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They → work → trips
Shared mobility charity CoMoUK's 2025 report suggests that for more than half of the people using rental e-scooters, the most common use was travelling to work or school.
uncertain
use → share → work
Its analysis of DfT data suggests the majority of people using hired e-scooters are male and under 35.
uncertain
majority → suggest → 35
"Sometimes it's a bit difficult to take the bus from dot to dot", says Yan Zhang, who works at Southampton university and doesn't drive, "so for shorter distances, I'll take the scooter."
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I → take → scooter
Around half of respondents to CoMoUK's online survey used it in conjunction with another mode of transport - such as riding to a railway station, like Keith.
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half → use → Keith
Earlier evidence from a national evaluation of the trials published in 2022 found that although some users would have driven instead had they not had access to an e-scooter, the biggest "modal shift" - meaning switch in ways of getting around - to e-scooters was from walking.
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shift → publish → scooters
Given walking is an active mode of travel, this has raised questions over how significant the public health impact of e-scooter use really is.
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impact → give → use
And the usage of privately owned e-scooters isn't reflected in this research.
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usage → own → research
The DfT has said between 760,000 and 1.2 million people in England aged 16 and over own one - despite the fact that it remains illegal to ride them in public.
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it → say → public
In the eyes of the law, e-scooters are classed as motor vehicles.
asserted
scooters → class → vehicles
Outside of the trials, they can't be insured, and thus can only legally be ridden on private land, with the owner's permission.
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they → insure → permission
The trials themselves are bound by strict rules.
asserted
trials → bind → rules
Businesses who operate the pilots must insure them.
asserted
who → operate → them
…and 51 more, not listed.
