Adult electric scooter company AER is gearing up for a relaxation in rules relating to the use of e-scooters on UK roads.

The government is expected to reveal a new £250m investment in UK cycle lanes and ‘fast-tracked’ e-scooter trials, which are currently illegal for road use.

The move is hoped to provide commuters with an alternative to public transport in an effort to reduce the likelihood of a coronavirus resurgence.

Established in 2017 by founder John Irving, AER has raised £1m to date through the UK’s Enterprise Initiative Scheme (EIS).

The company’s valuation has risen from £900K to £7.5m in the last two years.

As part of its expansion plans, AER has this month taken a 5,000 sq ft at Waterside House, a newly refurbished mill in Macclesfield, Cheshire, from where it will manufacture and distribute its e-scooters for the UK.

The firm has welcomed the UK Government’s plans to fast-track e-scooter trials, having to date serviced a customer base predominantly in the US and Europe where e-scooters are road-legal.

Irving said: “We whole-heartedly welcome the Government’s proposed changes in legislation. We established AER three years ago with an unwavering commitment to transform the future of transportation and bring greater sustainability, safety and ease of travel to urban life.

“We never could have foreseen the seismic shift in demand we are seeing towards e-scooters as the Government looks at how we as a nation can return to work safely.

“We look forward to hearing how these trials progress and, if successful, we believe our award-winning product is well-placed to meet the need of commuters looking for a more energy-efficient and safer way to travel.”