Micro Mobility

[Joy Atkins]

Micro mobility is seen to be good for the environment and supports active travel and local highway authority initiatives. At the same time micro mobility is seen by many as antisocial, linked to crime and poses a higher risk of a serious road traffic collision, for which the police need to be involved.

As we (the police) work in partnership with local authorities and the fire service – it would be really useful to understand:

1. what other local authorities do to promote and manage the safety of other road users, where e-bikes are ridden.
2. what other local authorities do to educate businesses and communities on the SAFE use of e-bikes, e-cargo bikes and e-scooters (the risks and benefits), to encourage green and active travel.
3. what fire brigades do to support partnership working surrounding e-scooters and e-bikes
4. what the police are doing to identify legal/illegal e-bikes/e-scooters and then manage public expectations by allowing greener, active travel but stepping in on ASB and any links to criminality/road traffic collisions.

We are looking for any practices that we can take back, to strategize within our own police and partnership approach.

[Peter Jackson]

Hi Joy,

Not able to answer all your questions but can give something to 1 & 2.

We have had a number of campaigns that focus on all users of shared paths, the focus on a more sharing approach from all while accepting that those who are moving faster need to be more aware of more vulnerable users. The wider messaging of not blocking a path or having a dog on a long lead was also shared to allow all users to make of these paths.

With regard to ‘safe’ use, we have supported a number of community lending libraries to give exposure to cargobikes and e-bikes alongside some cycle training. We have had focussed sessions for businesses wanting to make use of cargo bikes and the additional considerations with the weight. With regards to these two forms we see no greater risks than a normal bike, many of the e market bikes have much better brakes than standard bikes and lights as standard. Currently e-scooters remain illegal in Scotland and I for my own part hope this continues, I see no real benefit to these and certainly their eco credentials are rather suspect.

[Author]

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