Safety information relating to the E-Scooter trial
Request ID: FOI-1400-2223 Date published: 30 September 2022
You asked
Dear Transport for London,
Please provide the following information under FOIA in relation to the Electric scooters (e-scooters) trial.
1. Transport for London's reasoning for the decision to turn most of central Westminster into a e-scooter 'no go' zone on Sat 10th September 2022.
2. Any risk assessments, health, or public safety documents that resulted in the decision outlined above in point 1.
3. Transport for London's reasoning for the decision to turn each of the following cycle paths into e-scooter 'no go' zones:
a) Cycle Superhighway 'CS' and 'CS3', from the junction of Duke of Wellington Place and Constitution Hill, to the junction of Birdcage Walk and Horse Guards Road. These are the cycle paths of Green Park and St James's Park.
b) All cycle paths in and around Hyde Park, namely Cycleway 'C', Cycle Superhighway 'CS3' and 'CS5', and Quietway 'Q'.
NB. These definitions are taken from the "Cycleway" map, available at https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/cycle
4. Any risk assessments, health, or public safety documents that resulted in the decisions outlined above in point 3a.
5. Any risk assessments, health, or public safety documents that resulted in the decisions outlined above in point 3b.
6. Transport for London's reasoning for the decision to request operators reduce the speed of e-scooters on Waterloo Bridge, specifically approaching the junction where the bridge meets the roundabout.
7. Any risk assessments, health, or public safety documents that resulted in the decisions outlined above in point 6.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1400-2223
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 11th September 2022 asking for information about the e-scooter rental trial in London.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“Please provide the following information under FOIA in relation to the Electric scooters (e-scooters) trial.
1. Transport for London's reasoning for the decision to turn most of central Westminster into a e-scooter 'no go' zone on Sat 10th September 2022.
2. Any risk assessments, health, or public safety documents that resulted in the decision outlined above in point 1.
3. Transport for London's reasoning for the decision to turn each of the following cycle paths into e-scooter 'no go' zones: a) Cycle Superhighway 'CS' and 'CS3', from the junction of Duke of Wellington Place and Constitution Hill, to the junction of Birdcage Walk and Horse Guards Road. These are the cycle paths of Green Park and St James's Park. b) All cycle paths in and around Hyde Park, namely Cycleway 'C', Cycle Superhighway 'CS3' and 'CS5', and Quietway 'Q'.
4. Any risk assessments, health, or public safety documents that resulted in the decisions outlined above in point 3a.
5. Any risk assessments, health, or public safety documents that resulted in the decisions outlined above in point 3b.
6. Transport for London's reasoning for the decision to request operators reduce the speed of e-scooters on Waterloo Bridge, specifically approaching the junction where the bridge meets the roundabout.
7. Any risk assessments, health, or public safety documents that resulted in the decisions outlined above in point 6.”
I am afraid that TfL does not hold the requested information as we were not the ultimate decision maker in regard to the changes at the listed locations. Rather, this falls to Westminster City Council as the relevant Highways Authority, and they will hold information on the exact basis on which decisions were taken and any associated risk assessments. Note further that rental e-scooters have never been allowed in the Royal Parks since the launch of the trial in June 2021, and that this was a decision made by The Royal Parks, not by TfL. I would therefore suggest that you re-direct your questions to those bodies, which can be done via the following links:
