More than 1 in 3 Londoners now say it’s time to change the law to allow electric scooters on roads, as 62% say they are considering purchasing an electric scooter for themselves.
The new research of 1,000 Brits from electronics distributor reichelt elektronik also found that while electric scooter ownership in London is currently low, 1 in 5 expect uptake to greatly increase in the future.
Is it time to change the law?
35% of Londoners now say that electric scooters should be made legal on public roads, adding mounting pressure for the government to allow the increasingly commonplace vehicles. 30% want scooters to remain illegal on public roads, while 30% are yet to make their mind up.
However, 20% say that they want more oversight from police when it comes to electric scooters on roads, and of those surveyed who want to keep scooters off public roads, 89% cite safety concerns as their biggest worry.
Of those that don’t own an electric scooter now, 34% said they would be convinced to buy one if the current laws on their use changed. Meanwhile, 29% said that the price of electric scooters would need to fall, and 21% would want to see dedicated electric scooter lanes on roads or pavements.
What’s driving demand?
43% believe that electric scooter usage will increase in the future, although 25% said that scooters were a passing craze and that they expected no one to be riding them in 25 years’ time. Demand is expected to increase in the product category, and interest is continuing to grow.
24% of those considering buying a scooter said they wanted one because it’s a more portable and flexible way to travel, while 14% said they wanted one so they would drive less and reduce their impact on the environment.
Only 10% currently believe that electric scooters have a bad image, despite the resistance to making them legal at levels of government.
Helping the environment
Reichelt’s research also investigated why people were increasingly interested in electric scooters. 14% said that they saw electric scooters as an important way to help reduce their impact on the environment in the long run. However, respondents were more positive about the environmental benefits of switching to electric cars and electric bicycles.
Thomas Kruse, product manager at reichelt elektronik, comments, “Electric scooters are one great way to help people reduce their impact on the environment, and can contribute to cleaner, greener cities. However, consumers need more clarity on the current laws, to ensure they are making the right purchasing decisions, and so they are not caught out by current regulations.”
Reference: https://eridehero.com/blog/electric-scooters-street-legal-uk-law/
