How new cycle tech is reshaping our cities

But when it comes to the work agents and others do, modern, geographical information system technology platforms like Land Insight that help developers look for opportunities quickly appear to threaten the role of the consultants even more.

Of course, many would bristle at the always-observed society for the freedoms it appears to transgress. But the truth is that London is already one of the most spied on cities in the world, with Big Brother Watch estimating that there are some 51,000 cameras run by the police to watch citizens in the capital. There are an estimated 4.2 million cameras in total in the UK, or one for every 14 people. And, of course, with the rise and rise of the mobile phone, there are plenty more personal CCTV-ers out in force in effect, to boot.

As for electric bikes, they are another growing urban phenomenon, seemingly on every street corner, with the product growing in maturity, design, sales and range – even with new entrants to the folding market including Brompton’s Electric, and shortly, Gocycle’s new competitor model, the GX.

But there is a problem: this area feels like the Wild West when it comes to our streets and regulation, and the rise of scooters – electric or otherwise – on the roads has intensified that further. Where, exactly, do we stand?

Facial recognition raises privacy issues that need to be addressed in policy

The global electric bike market is likely to be worth some $23bn (£17.5bn) by 2025, according to the US’ Allied Market Research, with the Far East being the biggest consumer.

Around half of all bikes sold in Germany are now electric. But Britain is catching up fast – or at least as fast as their capped 15.5mph peak – with around 50,000 a year sold here. They tend to appeal to those with mobility issues or older people as an easy means of getting around town, or to those who want a bit of assistance uphill or travelling further afield, or simply to people who prefer to arrive un-sweaty.

There are even electric bike hire schemes, one of the proponents being Lime, with bikes in north-west London and Milton Keynes, as well as Paris, elsewhere in Europe and across the US. But some dockless firms have encountered criticism when users leave them irresponsibly, with Mobike, for instance, pulling out of Manchester, citing thefts and vandalism.

Electric scooters, too, have been backed by billions of dollars with companies such as Lime and Bird entering the market, the former offering dockless scooter hire, even if glitches across the world have meant recalls in places like Switzerland, and lawsuits in the US over claims they discriminate against people with disabilities.

Or you can buy your own commuter scooter for less than £200. But regulation is again scarce – should riders wear helmets? Are they allowed on the pavement, the road, the soon-to-be-rebranded Cycle Superhighways? The London Cycling Campaign passed a policy on ‘mobility scooters’, believing that those used on ‘mobility aids’ can be used on the to-be-rebranded Cycle Superhighways. But in some areas of the US they have proved unpopular; vigilantes have even expressed their displeasure at how these scooters are littering the public realm by vandalising them or dumping them in waterways.

It appears to be that, as with drones and problems felt recently at Gatwick and Heathrow, technology is moving ahead of the regulation curve. For electric scooters, what appears to be a reasonably environmentally friendly way to get across town and filling gaps in public transport for the ‘last mile’, may be derailed by accidents or a lack of clarity over liability and use. Facial recognition raises privacy issues that need to be addressed in policy.

In both cases, any regulation must avoid both the draconian and the knee-jerk, and recognise the broader impact on public realm and our freedoms.