ELECTRIC scooters would be an accessible and affordable addition to Glasgow’s streets, a potential operator believes.

New cycle lanes have been a success in the city post-lockdown, and now scooters are being considered as another green alternative to cars for short journeys.

There are legal hurdles to overcome before Glaswegians can ride an e-scooter to the office.

But a rental scheme trial has been recommended for approval in the city, with councillors to discuss the plan this week.

READ MORE: Here's how a trial of an electric scooter rental scheme could be given the green light in Glasgow

Bolt, an Estonian-based company which provides a ride-hailing service, like Uber, as well as scooter-sharing schemes, is one of the companies interested in operating in Glasgow.

Matt Barrie, country manager of rentals for Bolt in the UK, explained how the company initially “carved out a niche providing an Uber-like service”, entering markets which would be “afterthoughts” to the American giant, like eastern Europe and Africa.

More than 40 countries across Europe have access to Bolt’s e-scooters and bikes, and the firm has around 40,000 drivers using its ride-hailing app in London.

It is one of several operators which has been in talks with Glasgow City Council about leading a trial.

Mr Barrie said: “It is all about providing an accessible and affordable mode of transport that is available at any time of day to local citizens and visitors – to get them from A to B in a sustainable and emission-less way.”

He said the company has noticed a shift, with a direct correlation between ride-hailing services declining and scooter use increasing.

Mr Barrie added: “That benefits the city in terms of air quality, but also in terms of carbon reduction.

“It makes the streets of a city much more pleasant if there is less traffic on the roads and more people using sustainable means.”

E-scooters have proved popular for sightseeing and for commuting, Mr Barrie explained.

He said: “In Prague, for example, there are a lot of tourists, they use it as sightseeing mechanism. In other cities, it is 90% used for first or last mile commuting.”

He recommends a “slow” approach to discovering what works in Glasgow, starting with a smaller number of scooters and using “localised learnings” to inform a full roll-out.

Trials are currently under way in cities across the UK, with some raising safety concerns. In Coventry, a trial was paused after some users were riding on pavements.

Mr Barrie said that incident had been “disappointing to see”.

He added companies had to make sure everyone knows how to ride “safely and responsibly”.

Bolt recommends wearing a helmet, Mr Barrie said, and would offer a free helmet to anyone in Glasgow who wants one. It is currently working with training providers too.

Mr Barrie said scooters would be distributed “equitably” so every area of a city has “the same opportunities to access” a “very valuable” form of transport.