E-scooter v Black Cab v Public Transport in London - which is the fastest commute?

7 June 2021, 13:29 | Updated: 7 June 2021, 13:47

Nick Ferrari announces the winner of LBC's e-scooter dash

Today marks the launch of e-scooter rental trials in London, so LBC sent three reporters to race to a pub near Hammersmith Bridge using different modes of transport. 

Three reporters: Political Editor Theo Usherwood on e-scooter, James Gooderson on public transport, and Senior Reporter Matthew Thompson in a black cab. Who could get from Barnes to the other side of Hammersmith Bridge during rush hour in the fastest time?

This would be a quick journey across Hammersmith Bridge if it wasn’t closed, so the reporters will have to take a detour to reach it.

Theo Usherwood had to travel through a small part of Putney and Putney Bridge by foot, as his e-scooter provided by Lime, ceases to work once you leave the London Borough of Richmond and enter the London Borough of Wandsworth.

E-scooter v Cab v Public Transport in London - which is the fastest?

LBC's Theo Usherwood takes to the streets on an e-scooter.

This is because only a select number of boroughs in London are taking part in the rental trial, and the scooters which are fitted with GPS tracking, do not work beyond the allocated zones. Bike courier company Pedal Me was used to transport the e-scooter to the starting point.

Despite this, Theo Usherwood got to the final destination of The Old City Arms first, with Matthew Thompson a close second.

Telling Nick Ferrari about his win, Theo said: "Hammersmith Bridge Road is closed just before The Old City Arms, so Matt's cab had to pull up at the closure sign, at which point I scooted past to win the race."

Matt Thompson responded: "Where's the VAR nick? I demand an independent adjudication. I was actually getting out my broadcast kit to call you and declare my victory when Theo breezed past. Now technically I wasn't stood right outside the pub, but I was here in good time!"