Major expansion of e-scooter and e-bike hire scheme gets greenlit

A major new e-scooter scheme has been approved in Oxfordshire, with plans to expand public hire e-scooters and e-bikes far beyond Oxford city centre into surrounding towns and villages.

Oxfordshire County Council has agreed to move forward with a new contract that will bring e-scooter and e-bike hire services under a single operator. The decision was approved by Councillor Gareth Epps, the council's Cabinet Member for Transport.

The new arrangement will begin when the current e-scooter contract ends on September 30, 2026. The expanded scheme is designed to widen access to low-cost, short-distance travel across the county.

It will no longer be limited mainly to Oxford, with officials aiming to extend the network into nearby communities across the area.

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Under the plans, hire e-scooters and e-bikes could be introduced in Botley, Kennington, Kidlington and Horspath. These extensions will depend on approval from local councils and the Department for Transport.

The county council has also said the network could eventually be pushed further out, potentially reaching larger towns such as Abingdon and Wheatley.

Alongside the expansion, a wider system of designated parking bays will be introduced. More on-street parking areas are planned to help prevent e-scooters and e-bikes from being left in unsuitable locations and blocking pavements or roads.

The council explained better parking management is one of the key priorities for the next phase of the scheme, following concerns raised during the existing trial in Oxford.

Separate pilot schemes for e-bike hire are also being prepared. Two locations have been chosen for trials: Science Vale in south Oxfordshire, known for its science and technology industries, and Bicester, a rapidly growing town in the north of the county.

These pilots are intended to test how shared electric transport can work in different types of communities, including both business hubs and residential areas.

The expansion represents a significant step in Oxfordshire's approach to "micromobility", a term used to describe small, low-speed transport options such as e-scooters and e-bikes.

Councillor Gareth Epps said he was strongly supportive of the plans and highlighted the potential benefits for communities outside Oxford.

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He said: "I am very excited about the opportunities and benefits the e-scooter and e-bike scheme will bring. It can give our market towns a more level footing with some of the transport benefits enjoyed by the city, while also building in stronger controls to monitor and enforce responsible use of e-bikes and e-scooters on our streets, including safer riding and parking."

His comments reflect the council's aim to balance expanded access to transport with tighter regulation of how the vehicles are used.

The authority explained the new contract will include stricter requirements on safety, parking enforcement and overall service quality. Operators bidding for the contract will need to demonstrate they can manage large-scale fleets responsibly.

They will also be required to provide detailed usage data to the council. This information will be used to measure how the scheme supports Oxfordshire's Local Transport and Connectivity Plan, which sets out long-term goals for reducing congestion and improving travel options.

Officials said the data will also help decide whether the scheme should be expanded further in future, potentially reaching additional towns across the county.

The new plan follows a national decision by the Department for Transport to extend e-scooter trials across England until May 2028. Oxfordshire has been part of the trial programme for several years, giving the council experience in managing shared electric transport.

Under current rules, public hire e-scooters can be used on roads and cycle lanes but are not allowed on pavements. Riders must follow strict safety rules set by the Government.

Privately owned e-scooters remain illegal for use in public spaces, including roads, pavements and cycle paths. E-bikes used in the scheme must also meet national regulations on speed and safety, with limits in place to ensure they are treated as bicycles under UK law.

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