Electric scooters will be legalised on roads and cycle lanes for the first time under government plans to encourage green transport.

Ministers are expected to launch a consultation next month on how to regulate e-scooters and ensure safety.

The consultation will be followed by trials in cities, with a potential nationwide introduction if they are successful.

It is expected to suggest e-scooters should be treated like bicycles and be allowed on roads and in cycle lanes. They would be equipped with “speed inhibitors” that will limit their speed to 15.5mph.

There will also be questions over whether helmets should be compulsory on e-scooters. There has also been some pushback in Whitehall amid concerns that e-scooters could discourage people from walking and contribute to obesity.