TfL and London Councils launch third phase of London’s rental e-scooter trial

Transport for London (TfL), in partnership with participating London boroughs and operators Lime and Voi, has launched Phase 3 of the capital’s rental e-scooter trial.

The new phase will run for an initial two-year term, subject to Department for Transport (DfT) timescales, and will continue to provide Londoners with a safe and sustainable way to travel while helping to build the evidence needed to help inform future legislation around e-scooters.

Phase 3 follows on from the continued success of Phase 2, where more than six million rental e-scooter journeys were made across the capital. Demand for the service has grown significantly, with average weekly and daily journeys increasing by 58 per cent and 59 per cent respectively when compared with Phase 1.

Helen Sharp, TfL’s e-scooter trial lead, said:

“London’s rental e-scooter trial has shown there is strong demand for safe, shared micromobility services and we are pleased to launch the third phase of this trial. This next phase will help us build an even stronger understanding about how rental e-scooters can safely operate in London – supporting future decisions by Government while ensuring any future framework benefits users, local communities as well as the wider transport system.

“Safety continues to remain our number one priority for this trial, and we will work closely with the e-scooter operators, London Councils and participating boroughs to ensure we continue to meet rigorous standards. With greater clarity emerging around the future regulatory landscape – including the potential for TfL to regulate dockless e-bikes in the future – this contract provides an invaluable opportunity to work closely with boroughs and operators, test new approaches, and build the evidence needed to shape the future of micromobility in London.”

This summer alone saw nearly 1 million trips, with July seeing more than 340,000 trips – the most successful month since the trial began in 2021. The trial achieved record weekly and daily journeys of more than 90,000 and 15,400 trips. The latest phase will continue to explore how rental e-scooters can support London’s transport network, enabling more people to make sustainable journeys and reducing reliance on private car use.

Will Norman, the Mayor of London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said

“The Mayor and I are pleased that TfL and London Councils have been able to extend the country’s largest rental e-scooter trial, which is helping us to better understand this new part of our transport system and how regulation impacts micromobility services.

“Trial data so far clearly shows how rental e-scooters can boost sustainable travel – but crucially we’re also seeing how high safety standards and clear rules are ensuring an excellent safety record and parking compliance, which we know can pose challenges with dockless bikes and are working hard to address. With the right legislation and regulation, rental e-scooters can play an important role in our transport network as we continue building a greener, safer, better London for everyone.”

Safety will continue to be at the heart of the London trial, with rental e-scooters offering a number of safety benefits over private e-scooters (which remain unlawful on public roads). These include a maximum speed of 12.5mph, lights at the front and rear of the vehicles that are always on throughout any rental, GPS-controlled parking and no-go zones, a unique identification number plate on every vehicle, and a higher standard for fire and battery safety management.

Managing parking compliance is a key requirement of the scheme. Trips must start and end in designated parking bays, and TfL sets contractual service level agreements for parking performance. Compliance is actively monitored through data analytics, allowing TfL to identify issues and work with operators to drive continuous improvement. Since the trial launched, the number of designated parking bays have increased from around 600 to 2000 – helping to improve accessibility, while maintaining safe and tidy streets across the capital, ensuring 96% of trips comply with rules around parking in bays.

Alice Pleasant, Lime’s Deputy Head of Government Relations in the UK, said:

“Phase 3 is an opportunity to build on the strong demand for rental e-scooters in London and continue our partnership with TfL and London’s boroughs. We’re proud to have been part of the trial since it began and look forward to working with TfL to improve awareness, introduce new technology and enhance the rider experience, while encouraging responsible riding. Alongside our experience operating e-bikes across the capital, we’re excited to bring our global expertise to Phase 3 and demonstrate how shared micromobility can play a safe, reliable and sustainable role in London’s transport network.”

Phase 3 will also examine customer attitudes towards e-scooters, equality impacts, commercial viability and new technologies emerging within the micromobility sector. Both operators will introduce new vehicle technology to enable further insight into poor rider behaviour, such as tandem and pavement riding, alongside improved parking accuracy. Voi is launching a new e-scooter model (the V8) to provide this capability, and Lime will be moving to a full fleet of their latest vehicle (4.1s).

Harry Foskin, Senior Public Policy Manager at Voi, said:

“We’re thrilled to be continuing our partnership with TfL and delivering safe, sustainable and affordable e-scooter journeys for Londoners. Since the trial began, we’ve seen the scheme grow into a genuinely trusted part of the city’s transport mix, and that’s down to the strength of our work with TfL and the boroughs. As we look ahead, we’re excited to bring newer vehicles and smarter safety technology to London, making every journey even safer and more reliable. This is a huge vote of confidence in what we’ve built together, and we can’t wait to keep raising the bar for micromobility in the capital.”

The Government has committed to consulting on e-scooters and has indicated that legislation will be brought forward when parliamentary time allows. The current trial continues to provide valuable evidence that can inform future decisions. Findings will help inform any future regulatory framework, and support preparations for potential city-level management powers, should legislation be introduced.