Thousands of London commuters have ditched the city’s underground trains and buses during the COVID-19 pandemic for a more personal form of electric transportation: an e-scooter. Costing from £300 and with a typical top speed of around 25 kilometres an hour, e-scooters have become a familiar sight on the city’s streets and cycle lanes. But unless the e-scooter is rented and is involved in a trial, it is illegal to ride on a public road. Erica Klose, a worker in the City of London, said coronavirus concerns and a desire to become greener had made her an e-scooter convert. “Everything’s getting electric nowadays, so why not join the bandwagon like everybody else and become eco-friendly as well,” she said. “It does get pretty crowded in the Tube when you head to work in the morning and I would like to steer clear of that for a while until I feel more comfortable.”