Tag Archive: rules and regulations

  1. Updated e-scooter trial requirements in the UK – number plates, speed limits, and more

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    Source: UK GOV, Micromobilitybiz

    From 1 April new guidance will come into effect across the UK for shared micromobility trials, ensuring safety and best practice is at the forefront of the scheme.

    Each e-scooter in UK-wide micromobility trials will be required to display a manufacturer label with a unique identification number; these should be clearly visible on either the steering column, side, or rear of each vehicle. A variety of reasoning is given for this updated guidance, primarily easier identification of individual riders by both the police and the public. In the UK public usage of a privately owned e-scooter is illegal, identification numbers will aid in differentiating vehicles that are not part of micromobility trials.

    Outside of unique identification numbers, a range of additional recommendations have been released focusing on safety for both riders and the public. Recommendations include a lower speed limit for new riders, good-parking incentives, safety events, and technological improvements. The full release can be viewed here.

    Following the extended trial period, evaluation of the scheme’s success will inform the future of micromobility services in the UK.

  2. United Kingdom highway code changes in force from 29 January

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    Source: GOV.UK

    Changes to the highway code provide fresh guidance to increase road safety, including a hierarchy of road users and promotion of the ‘Dutch reach’.  

    From 29 January 2022 changes to the highway code which act to protect the most at-risk road users come into effect. Notably, the UK will see the introduction of a road-user hierarchy, which ensures quicker or heavier modes of travel have the greatest responsibility to reduce their dangerous impact on others.

    Cyclists will also receive a reminder to ride in the centre of quiet roads, during slow-moving traffic, as well as in the approach to junctions. This guidance ensures riders remain as visible as possible, particularly in typical ‘danger zones’. Additionally, the legality of riding two abreast will be reinforced, which in many cases is the safest formation for larger groups, or those travelling with children.

    Finally, the ‘Dutch reach’ will be encouraged amongst motorists, in which one opens an adjacent door with the opposite arm. This manoeuvre physically encourages the motorist to look over their shoulder, and therefore, reduced the chance of injury to passing pedestrians or cyclists.

    Changes will be communicated to the public via the acclaimed THINK! road-safety campaign, backed with £500,000 in funding. It should be noted that all updates are advisory, and therefore not reinforced with a fine.

  3. Tübingen Develops Speed Pedelec Network

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    The City of Tübingen has opened its first bike lane for speed pedelecs. That is the start of a complete speed pedelec network, which will be further developed in the next few months.

    Speed pedelecs may ride to their full potential (‘’freie Fahrt’’) in a bicycle tunnel between Haagtor and the Aleenbrücke which is in the inner city of Tübingen. Due to a change in the regulation, a special road sign has been created with the inscription ‘’S-Pedelec-Frei’’. This sign is placed by order of the mayor at the tunnel’s entrances and distinguishes itself from another road sign with the inscription of maximum 30 km/h.

    The Ministry of Transport of the Baden-Württemberg region had to officially acknowledge the road sign proposal made by the mayor of Tübingen. From now on, it must be clarified whether you can ride your speed pedelec up to a speed of 30 km/h or 45 km/h. Everyone is benefitting from this clarification, not only speed pedelecs but also other cyclists. ‘’Tübingen is probably the first municipality in BW or even nationwide, to have such regulation’’, mayor Boris Palmer explained. To our knowledge this sign is the first in the world!

    The mayor continues: ‘’Inaccurate traffic regulations for speed pedelecs hampered the uptake of this vehicle. So far, only +- 1% of all e-bikes being sold are speed pedelecs in Germany. For comparison, in our neighbouring country Switzerland,  20% of all commuters use a speed pedelec.”  By creating better conditions, the mayor hopes to encourage the use of speed pedelecs: ‘’A speed pedelec is a sustainable mode of transport and can help to reduce traffic congestion in our city.”

    Tübingen will be developing a connected network for speed pedelecs, making it possible to cross the city from various directions on attractive routes. In the following months, 80 road signs need to be installed along the network to achieve this goal. As a road user, you can check on the city’s website how much progression has been made yet.

    In preparation of this remarkable change, the mayor has been consulting with the Ministries of Berlin and Stuttgart since 2013. He pointed out that this change is overdue and should have been implemented way earlier. He concludes: ‘’The argument that speed pedelecs do not belong on bike lanes because they can go up to 45 km/h is just not fair. Take the example of allowing a Porsche in zone 30 areas although they could theoretically drive 300 km/h.”

    Source: article in German

    Photo credits: Elektrobike-online

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