E-scooters face scrutiny as 'disaster' collisions with pedestrians raise 'serious' safety concerns
E-scooter trials have been extended until 2026 across the UK
GETTY
The number of collisions between pedestrians and e-scooter riders in London has reached a record high, sparking calls for more safety measures.
According to a Freedom of Information request, there have been nearly 300 e-scooter collisions in the capital since they were first introduced in 2019.
E-scooter trials in the city were due to end this year, although it has been extended until May 2026 thanks to the popularity of the scheme.
But now pedestrians are calling for more safety measures to be introduced to stop the public from being affected by the fast scooters.
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E-scooters are banned from all TfL services
GETTYUnder the current Transport for London rules, riders must be 18 or over and hold at least a provisional driving license to be able to rent an e-scooter.
The electric scooters are also fitted with a speed limit capped at 12.5mph with all first-time riders urged to engage in mandatory education on how to ride safely in the capital.
TfL detailed: “You are not allowed to carry e-scooters or e-unicycles on TfL services or in our stations or other premises on our public transport network, even when folded.
“This safety step comes after defective lithium-ion batteries in privately-owned e-scooters and e-unicycles caused fires on our network.”
Riders who breach these rules can risk a fine of up to £1,000 if they do not comply with the laws.
TfL stated that e-scooters in the capital have always been banned from TfL services because they cannot be folded.
Despite these measures, pedestrians remain hesitant about the new form of transport and its potential to cause harm.
Taking to social media, one user said: “Who on earth has come up with these new rules? Who wanted them? Who has authorised them? These new rules will inevitably lead to more accidents, deaths, and congestion. It's a disaster in the making and needs reversing as quickly as possible.”
Last year, the Department for Transport recorded 1,269 collisions involving e-scooters in the UK, with 1,355 casualties and seven people losing their lives.
Nicholas Lyes, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and standards, explained that the questions about how safe e-scooters are will continue until there is a review of their legal status.
He said: “It will be difficult to put the e-scooter genie back in the bottle given their popularity as a form of urban mobility in city centres, but serious consideration must now be given to whether a form of training is required prior to use.
“In addition, we must ensure that these devices are built to a specific legal standard with speed limiters.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The Department for Transport recorded 1,269 collisions involving e-scooters last year
PAE-scooter trials are currently active in London boroughs. These include:
- Camden
- City of London
- Ealing
- Hammersmith and Fulham
- Kensington and Chelsea
- Lambeth
- Richmond upon Thames
- Southwark
- Tower Hamlets
- Westminster
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