London one step closer to allowing cargo bike deliveries and e-scooters

A City of London committee has given the green light for electric scooters to be allowed on city streets and it has endorsed a pilot project making way for large e-cargo delivery bikes.

Civic works committee members have stopped short of supporting an e-scooter rental system, citing problems in other cities where they've been adopted. 

At the Tuesday meeting, accessibility advocates called for a total ban on e-scooters, saying they pose a risk to many people with disabilities who may not be able to hear or see them coming.

E-scooters are powered by an electric motor that rolls on two wheels with the operator standing upright on a platform, and steering with handlebars.

The scooters are currently not permitted on London roads, bike lanes, sidewalks or multi-use pathways, however staff noted that they are being used and that they're an efficient and ecological mode of transportation. 

Committee members said they would not be allowed on sidewalks, if council adopts the recommendations at the July 5 meeting. 

Cargo bikes for commercial use are currently being tried in Ottawa and Toronto, with companies like UPS and Purolator trying out the delivery system. The province has a pilot project currently underway that allows bikes weighing more than 55 kg to be used on the roads, but cities have to come up with their own rules. The pilot project runs untli 2026.

If approved by council, London businesses that use cargo bikes would be issued a short-term parking permit and would be allowed to use existing loading zones and no parking zones for up to 15 minutes while on delivery.

They would not be allowed to park in the sidewalk or in bike lanes. 

Last year, the city asked Londoners for their input on e-scooters. They received 743 feedback forms that showed Londoners were most concerned about the lack of safe infrastructure and enforcement. People were also worried they would be misused or stored improperly.