England's rental e-scooter trials are now due to continue until May 2028, giving the Department for Transport more time to gather evidence about safety, local conditions and how e-scooters are used.
The trials began in July 2020 and were originally expected to end in November 2021. They have since been extended five times. The latest extension is intended to address remaining evidence gaps, not to announce a permanent national system.
Rental and privately owned e-scooters remain subject to different rules.
An approved rental e-scooter can be used within an official trial area, subject to the scheme's rules. Riders need an eligible provisional or full driving licence. Rental e-scooters can be used on roads, except motorways, and in cycle lanes within the trial area. They cannot be used on pavements. The scheme operator provides third-party insurance.
The legal position for privately owned e-scooters has not changed. They cannot lawfully be ridden on public roads, cycle lanes, pavements or other public land. They can only be used on private land with the landowner's permission.
This can be confusing for young people and families. E-scooters are widely available to buy and may be seen in public, while only a specific class of rental scooter is permitted within trial conditions. Availability is not the same as legality.
The rules are only part of the issue. Riders also make decisions about speed, visibility, attention, road position and how they share space with pedestrians. These decisions affect both the rider and the people around them.
YRSE's E-Mobility Education programme is built around that combination of law and judgement. Students aged 11 to 15 learn what can legally be used and where, then work through speed, visibility, attention, pressure and shared responsibility. They have the opportunity to recognise risk, anticipate other road users and plan safer responses before a real situation demands one.