Oliver O’Brien, of College School London, stated: “This might be a a lot greater change to how folks transfer round our cities than bike share might be.

“It might nicely eat bike share’s lunch, even when it’s not a type of ‘lively’ journey.”

The declare got here as Glasgow councillors will tomorrow be really helpful to approve the launch of an e-scooter rent scheme following a collection of pilots that received underway in England this summer time.

Mr O’Brien, a knowledge researcher on the college’s shopper information analysis centre, who has analysed bike share schemes for ten years, stated: “In lots of cities worldwide, we’ve seen operators with each bikes and e-scooters fairly shortly scale down their bike share fleets.

“Lime is doing this quite a bit, resembling in Milton Keynes.

He advised a webinar organised by CoMoUK, which promotes transport-sharing schemes: “I’ve each purpose to imagine this success will translate to Scotland too, notably if e-scooter shares right here can function in a ‘pure dockless’ mode [without docking stations].

“They take up much less house so lead to much less road litter.”

O’Brien stated rental e-scooters within the trials launched in England this summer time, resembling Milton Keynes and Coventry, had been used three to 6 instances a day whereas rent bike schemes had seen cycles rented two to 4 instances a day.

He stated: “E-scooters look like extra engaging to potential customers who can not see themselves on a motorcycle, whereas on the identical time being simpler and easier {hardware} and expertise for an operator to keep up.

“It appears bike share hits a pure resistance with a proportion of the inhabitants that simply doesn’t need to cycle however doesn’t thoughts the idea of e-scooters.”

He added: “It’s laborious to earn cash from bike share – the Scottish climate, historic reluctance to cycle, and wish for cumbersome docking stations because of the sizes of the bikes.”

CoMoUK stated e-scooters mustn’t detract from bike rental schemes.

Scotland director Lorna Finlayson stated: “The proof globally has been that e-scooters are a helpful addition to sustainable mobility that co-exists with different types of sharing methods of getting round.

“It will be significant that features in e-scooter use don’t come on the expense of motorcycle share or biking extra broadly given the UK’s decarbonisation, congestion and air pollution challenges.”

Glasgow Metropolis Council stated there was a spot for e-scooters due to the “notable success” of its six-year-old cycle rent scheme, which had expanded to 800 bikes, together with electrical bikes.

A spokesperson stated: “It was felt e-scooters may provide an additional low-carbon various to automotive and public transport use.

“That is of specific significance within the gentle of the town’s determination in 2019 to be carbon impartial by 2030.”

Nevertheless, an e-scooter scheme would require new Scottish laws to allow using cycle lanes.

Additionally it is opposed by teams representing blind folks, which concern collisions with pedestrians as a result of they claimed it might be troublesome to implement a pavement driving ban.

Transport for Edinburgh, the town council-controlled physique which runs the Simply Eat Cycles rent scheme, continues to be contemplating the deserves of introducing e-scooters too.

Chief government George Lowder stated: “We’re growing our understanding of e-scooter operations to assist inform any future choices.

“For a trial to happen, there must be additional consideration of the professionals and cons.

“A viable trial would want to contemplate the e-scooter market to ensure suppliers can guarantee security, reliability and worth for cash, amongst different necessities essential to administer a profitable rent scheme.”