On that emissions comparison,I have a report on a bit of research into the escooter hire schemes. The question was is it more carbon efficient to have them or not?

Now there are a range of parameters, do they replace car trips, bus trips or walking trips? Do they get picked up in a diesel van and driven off to be recharged before coming back in the same van? How long is that trip to the charge station and how was the electricity generated and the big one, how long do the things last? - we are talking just a few weeks for the early ones.

Mix all those at random to get a range of schemes, and 2/3 of them will create more emissions than if you had left thimgs alone.

Its actually one area where UK Govt has got it right, licence trial hires but don't legalise them in general, then if we decide we don't like them, we can close them down a lot easier. The bit that's missing is getting the self owned ones off the streets, but the police don't like confiscating and crushing them, the things catch fire!