TfL publishes new data on London’s e-scooter rental trial as Wandsworth joins to cover even more of the capital

Transport for London (TfL), London Councils and e-scooter operators, Voi and Lime have released new data that shows the continued success of London’s rental e-scooter trial. This comes as Wandsworth Council became the 11th borough to join today, unlocking more green and sustainable journey options for even more Londoners.

TfL has been working in partnership with London Councils, participating boroughs and the two e-scooter operators to deliver the new 24/7 transport service across London. The initial trial launched in June 2021 and the new report, which covers the first year of Phase 2 of the trial (September 2023 – September 2024), shows that demand for rental e-scooters as sustainable transport is increasing with a 27 per cent rise in customers taking more than one ride, thanks to significant service enhancements delivered in collaboration with operators and boroughs. Since launching, more than five million journeys have been made with around seven per cent now replacing car journeys.

The scheme has expanded significantly over the last four years, and rental e-scooters are now more widely available than ever before. Lambeth and Ealing recently opened the trial to the rest of their boroughs, and Wandsworth has now joined adding an additional 35 km² and 170 parking bays to the trial area. This takes the total trial area to around 300 km² and the total number of parking bays to 1,300.

The trial has used learnings to improve its safety record, with latest data showing that just 0.0004 per cent of trips resulted in serious injury, and there were 1.9 fewer operator-reported serious injuries per million km travelled in Phase 2 compared to Phase 1. New analysis has also been published to show that the injury risk rate for the trial decreased year on year over the first three years of operation. There has still been no fatalities during the trial, and operators also reported that more than 94 per cent of trips complied with rules around parking.

The trial has always focused first and foremost on safety, supporting the Mayor's Vision Zero target to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries on London's roads by 2041. Operators were selected based on their ability to meet strict safety requirements and high operating standards, and TfL has also taken steps to ensure the safety of anyone riding rental e-scooters and other members of the public. All rental vehicles in London need to meet high safety standards, which go beyond the national standards, including a speed limit of 12.5mph, larger wheels and lights that are always on throughout any rental. This contrasts to private e-scooters which are not required to meet any minimum standards for use as a vehicle and remain illegal for use on roads and cycle lanes.

New analysis published shows that there has been significantly less injuries for trial e-scooters than private illegal e-scooters. If caught riding a private e-scooter on public roads, you could be liable for a fixed penalty of £300 or six points on your licence for driving a motor vehicle with no insurance.

As the trial has grown, TfL has worked to make rental e-scooters available to even more people. This brings opportunities for further learning to uplift e-scooter safety standards and continue to influence legislation. The trial is testing new, innovative technology, such as pavement riding detection and AI to improve parking compliance, to look at how TfL can improve the experience of London’s rental e-scooters for both users and non-users of the service. Long-term regulation is needed to provide cities with powers to manage rental e-scooter schemes on a permanent basis and regulate private e-scooters with the minimum hardware standards on par with rental e-scooters.

Will Norman, London's Walking & Cycling Commissioner, said: “The data clearly shows that the rental e-scooter trial has helped to boost sustainable and active travel transport in our city, with over five million journeys made since it launched, and it has also laid bare the significant difference in safety between private and rental scooters. It's really pleasing Wandsworth Council have become the latest borough to join the trial as we continue to build a greener, safer and more accessible city for everyone.”

Helen Sharp, TfL's e-scooter trial lead, said: “We are delighted to celebrate the latest results of the London rental trial as it expands to cover new areas in Wandsworth. With more than 5 million trips already made on rental e-scooters in London, we look forward to seeing even more people have access to this innovative form of sustainable transport. We continue to put safety at the heart of the trial and regularly review trial performance to ensure that the scheme works for both users and non-users of the service. Working closely with operators and people across London, we will continue to build on what we’ve learnt to date, to ensure that everyone benefits from using rental e-scooters across the capital.”

Jenny Yates, Cabinet Member for Transport at Wandsworth Council said: “We want to support people in Wandsworth to make more sustainable travel choices if they can, and this e-scooter trial will allow us to see if rental e-scooters can offer a safe and convenient alternative to car journeys. We’ll be monitoring the trial closely and listening to residents’ feedback to make sure it works for everyone in the borough.”

Kaan Tas, Lime General Manager for UK and Ireland, said: “We're proud of the work we've done alongside TfL and London Councils to make shared and sustainable transport more accessible to Londoners through the e-scooter trial. Increased demand and trip numbers demonstrate the desire that millions of Londoners have to travel conveniently, affordably and emission-free using shared micromobility options. We expect to see record usage this summer, so this expansion could not come at a better time.

“We're excited for riders in Wandsworth to gain access to Lime e-scooters alongside our e-bikes, providing a further sustainable transport option in the borough. The key to delivering a successful scheme is ensuring adequate parking so we are really pleased to be working closely with TfL and Wandsworth Council on the roll out of dedicated parking spaces to ensure riders always have somewhere to park safely and considerately, keeping pace with soaring demand for shared micromobility options. ”

James Bolton, Voi’s UK General Manager said: “As one of London’s biggest boroughs, with its close-knit community and vibrant high streets, Voi is thrilled to launch our e-scooters in Wandsworth, offering more Londoners a safe, green and affordable way to move around the Capital. Our e-scooters will connect more residents to jobs, education, the Tube and trains, and everything London has to offer. 

“We're 100 per cent committed to running a responsible pilot that keeps pavements clear. Safety is Voi’s top priority - we’re committed to rider training, high-quality vehicles, and working with the community to create a scheme that works for everyone”.