Published: Monday 7 June 2021
Kensington and Chelsea will be one of six areas around London where people can try out e-scooters from today (7 June).
The borough is joining a trial scheme coordinated by Transport for London and London Councils as a borough where people can rent, ride and park e-scooters. The e-scooters will be operated by Lime, Dott and TIER following a TfL selection process.
Safety will be at the core of the trial throughout, with scooters only allowed on roads and cycleways, not pavements.
All the operators in the capital will have to abide by tougher safety standards than those set nationally, including:
- A lower maximum speed of 12.5mph;
- Lights at the front and the rear of the vehicles that are always on throughout any rental;
- Audible warning systems that can be used without adjusting the rider’s grip of the handlebar.
Cllr Johnny Thalassites, Lead Member for Planning, Place and Environment, said:
“E-scooters are a great way to get around and I hope this trial gives people another transport choice when visiting all the places they love in our borough, from our famous markets to much-loved museums.
“It’s important that we consider the safety of riders and pedestrians, which is why we’re taking part in this organised trial which will gather data on how the e-scooters are working and set lower maximum speeds than the national limit.”
Kensington and Chelsea is one of a core group of London boroughs and Canary Wharf to participate fully in the trial by providing parking, with further boroughs acting as 'ride-through' areas. Between 60 and 150 e-scooters will be available to rent in each fully participating borough initially.
The Council will control parking locations for e-scooters, providing marked designated bays. Geo-fencing technology will help to ensure that e-scooters are not parked outside of these designated spaces. Hires will only be able to be completed once the e-scooter is parked in a designated bay.
Parking locations in Kensington and Chelsea are:
- Kensal Road, W10 5AW
- Portobello Road W10 5SG
- Kelfield Gardens W10 6JW
- High Lever Road W10 6PA
- Kensington Leisure Centre W11 4PQ
- Walmer Road W11 4XG
- Kensington Park Road W11 3BS
- Notting Hill Gate W8 4QY
- Kensington Town Hall W8 4NR
- Gloucester Road SW7 4SF
- South Kensington Station SW7 2NA
- Sloane Square SW1W 8AQ
- Kings Road/Royal Avenue SW3 4QF
- Kings Road/Worlds End Place SW10 0LR
The Council will welcome suggestions for additional parking locations throughout the trial. To contact the Council about the trial please contact [email protected].
See the Council's Key Decision Report on joining the e-scooter trial and read more on the trial from Transport for London.