In 2018, I found myself whizzing around the hilly streets of San Francisco on a rental e-bike efficiently ticking off the various tourist sites. It was an exhilarating experience coasting along Golden Gate Bridge – the wind in my hair – the meerest caresses of the pedal propelling me along. Was this the revolution in intra-city travel we had been looking for? Such musings were promptly cut short as I was told off by a MAMIL – a middle-aged man in lycra – for impeding his speedier progress.
In some senses, this encounter encapsulated the response to e-bikes and scooters since their arrival in the UK. Less an innovation to be welcomed, more an additional irritant in our already nuisance-filled cityscape.
It remains a hot topic in West London. My neighbouring council, Kensington and Chelsea, has received many complaints about the use of e-bikes and scooters. So much so, they recently called a special summit to discuss their proliferation and how they can be used responsibly.
Understandably, people are frustrated. It is far too common a sight to see an e-bike or scooter strewn across the street in an obstructive manner – an unwelcome obstacle course for the elderly, disabled, or parents with prams. Sometimes they can be found in a green, garish hep – pushed over like dominos by the wind or an impish individual.
Perhaps – more worryingly – are the individuals who believe it is ok to use e-bikes on the pavement. Hearing the whirr-whirr of the electric pedal motor as they sneak up on pedestrians in a Jaws-like manner, before passing a hair’s breadth from those happily going about their business in a respectful way.
Vandalism is also an issue. I have often found myself silently cursing those who have tried to steal e-bikes by forcing the pedal against the locking mechanism, and breaking it off in the process. Leaving me to pedal lopsidedly with one leg whilst deciding whether I could limp home or go through the hassle of changing bike – probably endangering myself in my distraction.
Like in many situations, the few are ruining it for the many. Many people are using e-bikes and scooters in the correct manner: obeying the highway code; wearing their own helmet; and parking them in sensible locations. In turn, this mode of transport is quietly revolutionising how people move around cities. How they commute to work. How they visit their friends and family. How they get to their nearest station or bus. A solution to the first and last mile of travel that has long perplexed travel authorities.
On paper, it should be an easy win for councils. It is a mode of transport that uses existing infrastructure and requires little investment. It takes strain off overcrowded public transport, whilst also being one of the cleanest and most environmentally friendly ways to travel around our towns and cities.
There is a danger that we migth squander this opportunity. I am fearful that we are heading in this direction as negative public sentiment – often led by a vocal minority – leads to overregulation that reduces the positive societal impact that e-bikes and scooters can have.
We have already seen this in Europe. Italy has recently imposed strict new rules on e-scooters, requiring users to wear helmets and be insured as well as banning their use in cycle lanes. A more lenient ruling than Madrid and Paris, where rental e-scooters have been banned entirely.
This seems like an unnecessary knee-jerk reaction. Councils should work closely with residents and the rental companies to improve the service. Some councils have already mandated the use of parking bays to prevent the additional, unwanted street furniture. Although, this solution does remove some of the flexibility and spontaneity that people find most useful about this mode of transport.
An alternative could be dishing out stiff fines for those who park carelessly, something that some of the operators do already. Tougher action should also be taken on those riding on pavements, electric or not, to stamp out the current endemic.
Rental operators also need to play their part. They must educate people about how to responsibly use their e-bikes or scooters. They can incentivise proper parking by offering discounts to leave the bike or scooter in a designated area, where it will not be an obstruction. The companies are embracing new innovations. After leaving a restaurant recently after dinner, I was forced to do a test that measured whether I was in a fit state to ride a bike – fortunately I passed!
Those who enjoy using rental e-bikes and scooters can help out too. If you are physically able, then it normally takes only a matter of seconds to right a bike or scooter or move it a couple of yards out of the way. Clearing the way for those who might not have the capacity to move it.
There is undoubtedly a generation divide which we need to bridge. Like with Boris bikes, the majority of users are under 40. Given the upside these transport options provide in saved time and money, younger people can live with the nuisance elements they bring. For older groups there is mainly only downside to their introduction given the low levels of usage. We must keep it as palatable as possible for the non-users and do everything we can to mitigate their concerns.
We are fortunate in London to have a wide-range of options given the population density and affluence. At Conference in Birmingham this year, I thought it would be easy to jump on an e-bike or scooter to cover the 25 minutes between my hotel and the Conference centre. Instead, I found myself using a taxi to get back late at night due to a lack of coverage.
This is indicative of the bumpy road that other areas have faced with operators coming and going. An operator pulled out of Manchester a few years ago citing the high levels of vandalism and theft. A Council-led operation has now filled the gap. Similar council initiatives have led to schemes blossoming from Southampton to Liverpool. Councils need to continue to be proactive and support schemes in partnership with operators. It is becoming easier as operators learn from previous mistakes and the contraptions continue to get more robust to deter nefarious users.
There will always be challenges introducing new technologies into an established environment. There are countless amusing stories of people parking their new motor cars in inconvenient places in early 1900s London. One gentleman decided to park his car in the middle of Piccadilly Circus, later saying to the police that it was not clear that he could not leave his car there. Others parked on the pavements outside their offices considering them to be like carriage aprons. Unsurprisingly, there were many angry letters to newspapers demanding rules for these new machines.
We are in a learning phase with e-bikes and scooters. We need to calmly work through the challenges to make sure they establish a place in the transport mix. It is a two way street. Some relishing the new found freedom; others cursing the increased antisocial behaviour. We should be mindful of both in the ongoing debate.
Link to original published in Conservative Home on 12th December
