London’s rental e-scooter trial began on 7 June 2021, coordinated by Transport for London (TfL) with London Councils, participating boroughs and commercial operators. Its central purpose is to collect evidence on how e-scooters fit into the transport network and to inform future legislation and regulation.3811 The first phase involved Dott, Lime and TIER; Phase 2 began in September 2023 with Dott, Lime and Voi.1412
The trial started in a limited area, including Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Richmond and Canary Wharf, with some locations initially serving as ride-through areas.3 It later expanded across London. TfL’s approach combines operating rules and safety requirements with ongoing monitoring: operators provide trip, safety and incident information, while the trial publishes regular performance statistics and periodic phase reports.511 Measures include designated parking bays, GPS-controlled parking and restricted zones; the initial trial also set a maximum speed of 12.5 mph.513
The latest results in the supplied sources cover September 2024 to September 2025. More than two million trips were recorded in that year, bringing the cumulative total to over 6.4 million since launch.2 TfL’s reported highlights include 95 per cent of trips ending in designated bays, no fatalities, and serious injuries on 0.0007 per cent of trips.6 The report also notes that 20 per cent of parking bays are in areas with fewer public-transport options, while 3,000 people had signed up to operators’ access schemes.6 These figures describe the trial’s monitored service; they do not establish that the same outcomes would apply beyond its operating conditions.