AN ORDER to allow the continued use of rental e-scooter’s in a Government trial across Bournemouth and Poole has been signed off by a senior councillor.

BCP Council has been taking part in the Department for Transport’s trial since January last year.

The scheme, operated by Beryl, is the only permitted use of e-scooters on public roads and cycle lanes.

The council issued an experimental traffic regulation order to allow e-scooters to be added to the list of permitted vehicles allowed to travel wherever cycles are permitted, but it expires after 18 months on July 25.

As it cannot legal be extended as it was an experimental order, transport portfolio holder Cllr Mike Greene has approved a permanent traffic regulation order (TRO) for the scheme.

A record of the portfolio holder decision said: “It is noted that whilst this is described as a permanent TRO, the ability to make the TRO is dependent on the existence of a national legal framework to make that lawful and if the current trial legal framework is revoked then the TRO will automatically expire and/or may require amendment and/or be superseded by national legislation that may legalise the use of e-scooters nationally.”