MP launches e-scooter summit after city trial

A Labour MP is to hold a summit with operators and local authorities to discuss the impact of e-scooters on his city.

Chris Curtis, who represents Milton Keynes North, made the announcement on the Jonathan Vernon-Smith show on BBC Three Counties Radio.

"I think lots of people across our city use e-scooters and it is a good option for people to get around if they are used responsibly and properly, but there are too many occasions at the moment where there isn't the case," he said.

A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson said e-scooters had the potential to "improve local connectivity and cut emissions, and we want to see that potential realised safely and responsibly across the UK."

Curtis has also launched a survey so constituents can give their views on the trial ahead of the "Scooter Summit" on 25 September.

Whilst privately-owned scooters remain illegal unless used on private land with the permission of the landowner, the Milton Keynes trial - launched in 2020 and extended in 2024 - has meant e-scooters are available and can be ridden on roads and the city Redway network.

Curtis said: "I don't think shops and businesses that are selling these things [privately-owned scooters] are doing enough to ensure those that buy them know they're buying a product that can't be used in public spaces, so I'm going to be talking with shops to make sure they are informing consumers where they can and can't be used."

When the trial was extended, the city council confirmed more than two million trips had been made - but Curtis voiced concerns about how they were being used.

"They're often parked in inappropriate places and driven antisocially or being hacked," he said.

"All these are challenges we need to work around."

The summit will see scooter operators, city and parish councils, as well as Thames Valley Police coming together to discuss the trial.

"I think we have to try a little bit harder to see if we can make them work given we want to provide people with options to travel around the city," the MP added.

The DfT spokesperson added: "Our rental trials are building the real-world evidence needed to get regulation right, and we will be consulting on longer-term rules, including registration and licensing requirements, within the next year.

"In the meantime, privately owned e-scooters remain illegal to use on public roads, and users can face fines, prosecution, points on their licences, and having their e-scooter seized."

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