MKC will help kick-start a new e-scooter trial in Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes Council will be trialling e-scooters  in a fast-tracked plan to explore alternatives to short car journeys.  The plans were sped up in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic so UK cities could understand how e-scooters might relieve pressure on public transport while passenger numbers are restricted.

It’s expected that e-scooters would be allowed on Redways and some pavements to support journeys to work, shops and open spaces.  Under current legislation e-scooters can be bought in the UK but are not allowed on public roads or pavements.

Milton Keynes will see the launch of a 12 month trial of e-scooters working with operators Lime, Spin and Ginger in late August.

The scooters will be available to book via an app. The scooters have all passed stringent safety tests with speed automatically restricted to lower speeds in sensitive areas.

Riders will be required to hold a driving licence.  Only scooters operated through the selected operators will be licenced, meaning that other scooters remain illegal.

Cabinet Member for Sustainability, Councillor Jenny Marklew said, “Milton Keynes has a strong reputation for testing green technologies, so when Government announced UK legislation would change to allow electric scooter trials we’ve been quick to progress this pilot.”

We will be providing more details in the coming days on how and when you can start using scooters.