Near Two-Thirds (61%) of UK adults are opposed to the legalisation of e-scooters
The Queen’s speech outlined plans to legalise e-scooters on UK roads, yet 78% of UK adults also believe they are unsafe for other road users
Nearly two-thirds (61%) of UK adults are against the UK government’s plan for legalising e-scooters, compared to 28% of those who are in favour of the legalisation, and 11% who are unsure, according to a survey that Super Soco UK ran on the YouGov Direct research platform. When asked why e-scooters should not be legalised, 78% of adults argued that e-scooters are unsafe for other road users, and a further 76% said that they are also unsafe for pedestrians.
E-scooters have been the cause of great controversy in the UK’s battle for sustainable urban transport. In 2021, there were 931 casualties in accidents involving e-scooters; of these 732 were riders. This is almost certain to rise if private e-scooters are legalised.
Despite evidence of rising accidents and safety concerns, of the 28% of those surveyed who believed that e-scooters should be legalised, 68% think they are a good way to get around town, with a further 39% praising them for their affordability and as an alternative for expensive bus and tube travel for commuters.
When asked why e-scooters should not be legalised,61% of UK adults argued that this is due to their lack of standard regulations. E-scooters on trial schemes are supposed to be capped at 15.5mph, and it is proposed that private e-scooters be subject to a similar limit. However, according to a survey of over 500 vehicles carried out in April 2022 in London by Super Soco UK, the average speed of private e-scooters was 17mph, with 69% travelling at more than 15.5mph. Whatever legislation might be brought in, the majority of the UK fleet is already likely to be non-compliant.
Commenting on the proposed government plans to legal e-scooters, Richard Jordan, micromobility expert and CEO at Super Soco UK and GreenMo UK said:
“Electric scooters should not be legalised in the UK. They are dangerous by design, causing unnecessary risks for riders, other road users and pedestrians. Now we know that the move does not have the support of the British public. We have already seen a disproportionate number of serious accidents over the past few years involving e-scooters and this will only increase if they are legalised or if this vacuum in legislation is allowed to continue.
“Data released by the Government itself shows that e-scooters are around 12 times more dangerous than a bicycle over the same distance, and 2.5 times more dangerous than a motorcycle. There are already much safer and more sustainable alternatives to e-scooters and indeed the governments of many other European countries, which legislated to allow e-scooter sales a few years ago, are now moving to regulate the vehicles out of existence. In the UK, owing to our more measured approach, we have a chance to reject the dangerous e-scooters and get micromobility right first time.”
Methodology
The survey was conducted on YouGov Direct. 1000 respondents in the UK were interviewed on Tuesday 10th May between 21:15 and 21:30 GMT. Data is weighted on age, gender, education level, region and social grade to be nationally representative of adults 18+ in the UK. The margin of error is approximately ±3.1% for the overall sample.
About Super Soco UK and GreenMo UK
Super Soco UK is the UK’s most popular brand of electric motorbikes and mopeds, with more than 60 dealers across the UK. GreenMo UK provides Super Soco mopeds and motorcycles, alongside e-bikes, to the most demanding delivery fleets in the UK. Super Soco UK and GreenMo UK are part of the Go Green group, which operates over 35,000 electric vehicles in 8 countries across Europe.
