Portsmouth's e-scooter trial extension goes ahead

A city's e-scooter trial is set to be extended, despite them being branded "death traps".

The scheme was introduced in Portsmouth in March 2021 and had been due to expire in September.

The city council agreed to change an order, allowing the scheme to continue into the autumn.

Safety concerns about the scooters have been raised nationally. Campaigners have said they pose a danger to vulnerable pedestrians.

Experimental traffic orders can only run for 18 months, so the council had to change it to a permanent order to allow people to continue hiring e-scooters from scheme provider Voi until the end of November, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Speaking at a decision-making council meeting, former councillor Malcolm Hey described e-scooters as "death trap machines".

"These e-scooters are a danger to riders themselves to pedestrians and to other road users alike," he said.

"It might be okay to use them in the wide boulevards of California but certainly not in the cramped streets of Portsmouth."

Member for transport Lynn Stagg said concerns about injuries had been "overblown".

In May, the Department for Transport wrote to the council confirming its intention to legalise the use of e-scooters beyond the trials being run across the country.

Under current rules, they can only be used on public land through these schemes.

Ms Stagg said: "I'm happy to go along with [the permanent order] because it will give the government time to get the legislation in place which is desperately needed.'

However, following a suggestion from the Conservative opposition spokesman for transport Scott Payter-Harris, she also agreed that another consultation would be held before any decision was taken to extend the trial beyond November.

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