Report considers noise alerts if e-scooters are to be legal

Artificial noise or acoustic alerts have been discussed as an important potential safety measure, for e-scooters, if their use in public places is to be made legal. Research was conducted by TRL and Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), University of Warwick, on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT). It was suggested that a standard universal sound could be used by alert all operators and manufacturers to avoid confusion, and that it would be useful if distance and direction of travel could be easily detected from the sound. IT was further suggested that different acoustic alerts that would allow e-scooters to be distinguished from e-bikes may also be useful. Finally, there was also a desire for any artificially generated noise to be able to be switched off in some environments, e.g. if they are being used indoors. The report documents the range of activities that were conducted to collect evidence around certain aspects of the safety, sustainability and accessibility of e-scooters and the recommendations arising from that evidence.