I am writing this petition out of personal experience to express the transformative power of e-scooters in my life and to protest the petition to ban them (https://www.change.org/p/ban-e-scooters-from-bristol

Escooters have completely revamped my perspective of Bristol, the place I call home. They have encouraged me to leave my car behind, thus reducing my carbon footprint, while helping me connect with the city more intimately. E-scooters have not just proven to be a clean mode of transport but have also made it easier for me to meet friends and engage in local shopping. 

Now, it's not just about me. Thousands of Bristolians have found e-scooters to be an efficient mode of transport, effectively relieving the city's heavy traffic congestion. If e-scooters are integrated into our regular transport system, we could see a significant reduction in these harmful emissions. 

Our demand is twofold. Firstly, we request that rental e-scooters should remain in Bristol. They provide a convenient and timely transportation option for many people in the city. Secondly, we urge the government to legalize and regulate private e-scooters for the same reasons. By doing so, we can ensure safety standards are met and bring another eco-friendly form of transport into the mainstream.

Government-led trials have been taking place in the UK since autumn 2020, focused on the provision of sharing schemes and with the intention of creating an evidence base on usership and contextual issues.

The findings suggest that e-scooters have a potential role in expanding the reach and boosting the reliability and flexibility of the transport system. Their relationship with safety is complex. Road safety concerns and issues relating to sharing space present barriers. Conversely, in relation to personal safety, e-scooters provide an alternative to walking through areas in which people may otherwise feel unsafe. For some, e-scooters offer a more affordable alternative to public transport and ride-sharing.

The low level of effort can distinguish e-scooters from other micromobility options and, whilst some might therefore question their value in health terms when compared with other active modes of transport, people with conditions that mean they need to carefully manage their energy expenditure can therefore find e-scooters useful.

Our health, environment, and transportation freedom hang in the balance. Grant us the dignity of choice in our transportation, and the freedom to travel with less harm to our world. Sign this petition to urge the decision-makers to protect and support this crucial shift in our transportation habits.