Does The Way Forward For E-Scooter Regulation Remain Unclear?

That is certainly the superficial conclusion from yesterday's short debate about e-scooters in the Lords. Wrapping it up, Transport Minister Baroness Vere said in terms that “No decision has been taken about the future legal status of e-scooters”. In earlier parts of her speech, she stressed the need for an evidence-based approach, drawing from experiences and data from the authorised trials to “inform future policy and any legislative basis for e-scooter users in future.” Despite this, reading between the lines of her remarks may offer some clues to the legal options that the government might take forward.

First, a health warning: in closely studying what the Minister said in the speech, there is a risk of seeing only what you want to see in it. But, bearing that in mind, these appear to be the main indications of any future framework.