You can take a mobility scooter on London's buses if it is no more than 60 centimetres wide and 100 centimetres long, with a turning radius of no more than 120 centimetres, and the ride is free. TfL's trains, from the Underground to the trams, take some scooters at step-free stations. The Uber Boat river bus takes them only after an approval, and black cabs and the cable car do not take them at all.
The difference between a scooter and a wheelchair matters more than most visitors expect. A wheelchair is accepted almost everywhere step-free access exists. A scooter is longer, harder to turn and often heavier, so each operator sets its own limits, and some need to approve the model before you travel. The card most worth having is TfL's Mobility Aid Recognition card, which is voluntary on the buses but is also what the river bus asks for.
The general picture of step-free travel, from the symbols on the Tube map to booking help, is in our guide to step-free transport in London, and our page on London transport in a wheelchair covers boarding points line by line. This page is about the scooter rules alone.
Mobility scooter rules by service (checked November 2026)
- Buses
- Up to 60 cm wide and 100 cm long, turning radius up to 120 cm, within the ramp's weight limit. Free at all times
- Tube, Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR, trams
- "Some mobility scooters" accepted, says TfL; no published size limit. Step-free stations only; never on an escalator
- National Rail trains
- Each train company's own policy. Common limit: 70 cm wide, 120 cm long, 300 kg with rider. Some require a permit
- Uber Boat river bus
- Only with an approved Mobility Aid Card; TfL's card is accepted. Class 3 scooters generally not suitable
- London Cable Car
- Its own conditions say motorised scooters are not permitted
- Black cabs
- Not carried
- TfL card and advice
- travelmentor@tfl.gov.uk or 020 3054 4361, 09:00 to 16:00 Monday to Friday
Class 2, class 3 and why it matters for transport
British law divides mobility scooters into classes. GOV.UK defines a class 2 scooter as one with a maximum speed of 4 mph or less, for use on pavements and in pedestrian areas. A class 3 scooter has a top speed of 8 mph, may also be driven on the road, and must be registered with the DVLA. On a pavement, every scooter is limited to 4 mph.
The class does not appear in TfL's bus rules, which care only about size, turning and weight. In practice it still decides most journeys. Class 3 scooters are usually larger, heavier and longer, which is why the Uber Boat says they are generally not suited to its boats, and why many of them fail the bus dimensions. A small class 2 scooter, especially a folding one, opens far more of the network.
If you hire a scooter for your stay, ask for a small class 2 model and for its width, length and turning radius in centimetres. Those three numbers decide where you can go.
Buses: the size limits and what the driver can refuse
Each London bus carries a ramp and one wheelchair bay, and TfL's Conditions of Carriage, in the edition dated 24 September 2026, set out which scooters can use them. A scooter must be no wider than 60 centimetres and no longer than 100 centimetres, with a maximum turning radius of 120 centimetres, and within the weight limit shown on the ramp or beside the door. Wheelchairs are allowed 70 by 120 centimetres.
Travel is free for a scooter user on any bus at any time. Anyone travelling with you pays, and must go straight to the front of the bus to touch in or show a ticket. You get on through the centre doors of a two-door bus and park the scooter in the wheelchair space.
Wheelchair and scooter users have priority over everyone else for that space, so a parent with an unfolded buggy will be asked to fold it or move. But the driver can still refuse you if:
- the scooter looks larger than the limits or heavier than the ramp's limit;
- a wheelchair user is already in the space;
- the bus is too crowded for you to travel safely; or
- the driver considers it unsafe for you to travel on that bus.
TfL's conditions add that nobody already on board will be asked to get off. At busy times you may have to wait for the next bus. Our page on London's buses covers what your companions pay.
The Mobility Aid Recognition card
It is often described as a permit, but it is not one. TfL's scheme is called the Mobility Aid Recognition Scheme, and TfL says plainly that it is voluntary: you do not have to have the card to travel on a bus. What it does is settle the size question before you reach the stop. When you apply, TfL checks whether your scooter meets the bus specification. If it does, a travel mentor visits and goes out with you on the network until you are confident getting on and off, and you then receive a card that shows drivers your scooter has been approved.
To apply, TfL asks you to email travelmentor@tfl.gov.uk or call 020 3054 4361 between 09:00 and 16:00 on weekdays to book an appointment. Because the scheme involves a visit and a trial journey, it suits people who live in London or come often, rather than someone arriving for a long weekend. For a short visit with a hired scooter, ask the hire company whether that model already holds approval.
The TfL card also opens the river bus. Uber Boat by Thames Clippers says it recognises TfL's Mobility Aid card, and that if you have one, that is all you need to bring your scooter on board. Getting the TfL card first saves a second application.
The Tube, Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR and trams
On the rail services TfL runs, the rules are thinner. TfL's step-free guidance says you can use "some mobility scooters" on the Tube, trains and trams, but its Conditions of Carriage publish no size limit for rail; they say only that you may not ride an escalator while seated in a wheelchair, and point you to TfL's accessibility pages. The practical limits are the lifts, the gap between platform and train, and the space inside the carriage.
That makes three things decisive. First, use step-free stations only, and check that the whole route is step-free, not just the two ends. Second, look for the boarding point: on the Elizabeth line TfL advises carriage 5, which has dedicated wheelchair spaces and generally stops in the middle of the platform. Third, ask staff. Under TfL's turn-up-and-go service they will put down a ramp, accompany you to the train and arrange for someone to meet you at the other end.
TfL's tips for powered mobility aids: on the platform, park parallel to the track and close to the back wall, switch the scooter off while you wait, stay behind the yellow line and lift a hand to catch the driver's eye as the train pulls in. Once aboard, put the brake on and keep still until the train stops.
The DLR and the trams are step-free throughout, the most predictable rail options. Our pages on the DLR and the Overground, the Elizabeth line and the Croydon trams have the routes.
A lift that works at the start of the day can fail by the evening. A scooter cannot use stairs or an escalator at all, so a broken lift ends the journey at that station. Check TfL's live lift status before you set off, and read what to do when the lift is out of order before you need it.
National Rail trains: a different policy for each company
Main-line trains, run by the train operating companies rather than TfL, do not follow TfL's rules. Transport Focus, the independent watchdog for rail passengers, says each company sets its own rules for scooters, written into its Accessible Travel Policy. Many carry non-folding scooters, generally the smaller and lighter ones, but not always on every train or route. Some carry a scooter only if you hold a scooter permit issued by that company; others take a scooter only if it is folded and placed in the luggage rack.
The size and weight figures Transport Focus gives are the same as for wheelchairs: no longer than 120 centimetres, no wider than 70 centimetres, and up to 300 kilograms for scooter and rider together. It adds that some ramps can carry only 230 kilograms. Many companies expect you to reserve a space, usually at least 24 hours ahead, and you may be asked to transfer to a fixed seat.
If your scooter is damaged on a train, the National Rail Conditions of Travel say that the usual £1,500 limit on a train company's liability for luggage does not apply to mobility equipment. Liability for that is unlimited where it is established.
The river bus, the cable car and the boats
Uber Boat by Thames Clippers says all its boats take wheelchairs, scooters and prams, with ramps for boarding. Scooters, though, need approval first. Unless you hold TfL's card, email Uber Boat with the make and model, and its safety team reviews it; this usually takes one working day, but it asks you to allow a few days. Scooters that use combustible fuel are banned, class 3 scooters are generally not suitable, and riders of three-wheeled scooters are warned to take care on steep gangways. Scooters may not go on the back deck.
Three piers are not step-free because the gangway can become too steep at some tides: Cadogan, London Bridge City and Wandsworth Riverside Quarter. Our guide to the Uber Boat river bus has the routes and the nearest accessible alternatives.
The London Cable Car is where TfL's own documents disagree. TfL's general step-free page lists the cable car among the services where some scooters can be used. The cable car's own Conditions of Carriage, dated 21 October 2024, say its cabins take wheelchairs no wider than 80 centimetres and that "larger wheelchairs and motorized scooters are not permitted" because of weight and size limits. Until TfL reconciles the two, assume a scooter will be refused, and ask staff before you buy a ticket; our page on the cable car has the rest.
Taxis, and what to do when the network fails you
TfL states that mobility scooters cannot be taken in taxis. A black cab will take a wheelchair, with a ramp, but not a scooter, which removes the usual fallback when a lift fails. Some private hire firms run larger accessible vehicles; say exactly what you are bringing when you book. Our guide to black cabs, minicabs and Uber covers booking.
On the Tube, Overground and Elizabeth line, TfL says that if no step-free route is available, staff will book an accessible taxi at TfL's expense. With a scooter, tell staff that you need a vehicle that takes one, because a standard cab will not. For journeys into London from the airports, our page on special assistance at the London airports explains what to arrange in advance. Before you book a room, ask the hotel where a scooter can be stored and charged overnight; our guide to accessible hotels in London lists the questions worth asking about access.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take a mobility scooter on a London bus?
Yes, if it fits. TfL accepts scooters up to 60 cm wide and 100 cm long, with a turning radius of up to 120 cm, within the weight limit on the ramp. The ride is free for the scooter user. The driver can refuse if the wheelchair space is taken or the bus is too crowded.
Do I need a permit to take my mobility scooter on a bus in London?
No. TfL's Mobility Aid Recognition card is voluntary. It confirms to drivers that your model meets the bus specification, and it involves an assessment and a trial journey with a travel mentor. You can travel without it if your scooter is within the limits.
Can mobility scooters go on the London Underground?
TfL says some mobility scooters can be used on the Tube, but it publishes no size limit for rail. You need a fully step-free route, because scooters cannot use escalators, and staff can help with a ramp at the platform under turn-up-and-go.
Can I take a mobility scooter on the Thames Clipper boats?
Yes, once Uber Boat has approved it and issued a Mobility Aid Card, or if you already hold TfL's Mobility Aid Recognition card. Email the make and model to its customer team a few days before you travel. Class 3 and fuel-powered scooters are generally not accepted.
Will a London taxi take a mobility scooter?
No. TfL says mobility scooters cannot be taken in taxis, even though every black cab takes a wheelchair. If you need a car, book an accessible private hire vehicle and give the scooter's size and weight when you book.
Sources
- Transport for London - Conditions of Carriage, section 10: Using wheelchairs and mobility scooters (24 September 2026) (checked November 2026)
- Transport for London - Travel mentoring and the Mobility Aid Recognition Scheme (checked November 2026)
- Transport for London - Wheelchair access and avoiding stairs (checked November 2026)
- Transport for London - Conditions of Carriage for London Cable Car (21 October 2024) (checked November 2026)
- Uber Boat by Thames Clippers - Accessibility and the Mobility Aid Recognition Scheme (checked November 2026)
- Transport Focus - Can I take my mobility scooter onto the train? (checked November 2026)
- GOV.UK - Classes of mobility scooter and powered wheelchair (checked November 2026)
- National Rail - Conditions of Travel, Condition 26: liabilities for luggage and mobility equipment (checked November 2026)