The Segway: Coming to cycle path near you?

The government is considering a change to the law that would allow Electric Personal Vehicles (EPV), such as the Segway, to be used on the roads and cycle paths.

A public consultation will run for twelve weeks until the end of March.

It is currently illegal in Britain to use the Segway PT (pictured right) anywhere other than on private property. This is because the Segway uses its electric motor in order to slow and stop – the Department of Transport has cited this lack of mechanical brakes as a cause for concern.

The issue has not stopped Segways being used in America on military bases and industrial sites and by police patrols. However, despite the fact they are allowed to be used on pavements in most parts of America, their high price has meant that Segways have not been bought by the public in large numbers.

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “It is not unreasonable that vehicles such as the Segway be permitted to use the roads, but it remains to be seen whether people want to. It may be that the Segway one day finds itself in a museum alongside the Sinclair C5, another expensive electric vehicle that failed because it was unable to compete with the bicycle.”