In the news: Council gets rid of dreaded e-scooters - pulls out of trial deal
Basildon Council has confirmed its decision to withdraw from the Department for Transport (DfT) and Essex County Council's e-scooter trial, bringing the initiative to a close in the borough.
At a Cabinet meeting in January, councillors agreed not to extend the trial beyond May 2025. As a result, the operator, Dott, will begin removing e-scooters from Basildon's streets by the end of the month.
The e-scooter trial, originally launched to evaluate the viability and safety of e-scooters as a sustainable mode of personal transport, had been running continuously in Basildon since the borough became the first in Essex to participate. Although initially scheduled to end in October 2021, the trial was extended three times by the DfT to allow further data collection, particularly in light of disrupted travel patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cllr Aidan McGurran, Cabinet Member for Environment & Leisure, said: "In January, the Cabinet took the decision not to continue the e-scooter trial beyond May. We informed Essex County Council of our intention at that time.
"While e-scooters may offer a green transport alternative, our experience has raised significant safety concerns. Residents and businesses have reported issues with reckless riding, especially in town centre areas, and the abandonment of scooters on pavements has created hazards—particularly for older people and those with disabilities. It's important to remember that private e-scooters remain illegal for use on public roads and pavements.
"When we took this decision it was with some reluctance because our attempts to get Essex County Council to listen to our concerns around safety had not been heeded and the safety of our residents must come first.
"With Local Government reorganisation on the horizon we may revisit this decision when we are in charge of our own destiny."
Basildon was the first Essex local authority to launch, and the trial has operated continuously since. Initially, trials were expected to operate until 31 October 2021, but DfT has extended the trial three times since - firstly to 31 March 2022, then 30 November 2022 and again to May 2024 - to allow the collection of more data. COVID restrictions impacted upon transport movements for a period and the extension of the trial was agreed to try to better understand post - COVID travel patterns.
The operator, Dott, will be communicating directly with its ridership via its app and by email.
Any enquiries about the e-scooter trials in Essex should be directed to e-scooters - Essex County Council
Ends
Published 23 May 2025