Electric scooter trials are taking place in cities across the UK as local councils look to alternative transport methods amid the coronavirus pandemic. The new trials mean anyone with a provisional licence and aged above 18 can hire a scooter for a small charge.
The devices can travel up to 15.5mph with riders allowed to use them on the side of public roads up to a speed limit of 30mph.
However, Nick Freeman has attacked the proposals as he argued that a provisional licence was not a “barometer for proficiency”.
He warns riders who may not have used the scooters before could be “incredibly vulnerable” in using roads where cards and lorries are just metres away.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, he said: “A lot of the people who are riding them would not have ridden them before, it’s not like riding a bike there’s a huge balance problem.
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“The only qualification you have is that you’re holding a provisional licence which is no barometer of proficiency.”
Under the trials, riders will only be allowed to use scooters which have been approved for use by local authorities.
These machines will be capped at 15.5mph compared to speeds of up to 28mph which is capable on some private models.
It is illegal to use a private scooter on a public road and police officers have already reported of some offenders being mistaken by the new rules.
He told Express.co.uk: “Before people are let loose on these we need to know that they actually know the Highway Code and they’ve certainly done a basic test to know they are familiar with them.
“We don’t let learner drivers on the motorway, all the years up until very recently, you won’t let a learner driver on the motorway, why, because its a specific skill set that’s required.
“So why should we let somebody who has no level of proficiency, who’s completely unfamiliar with the Highway Code, go on a road which is shared with other road users and they have no previous experience.
“And they are not supervised of course. From a practical perspective, it’s impossible so I think it’s potentially incredibly dangerous.”