E-Scooter safety continues to be an issue of significant concern to local people across the Two Cities, with an increasing number getting in touch to share their experiences.
E-scooters have many advantages and can be part of the clean and green transport of the future. But they must be safe. Too often, we are seeing riders on the pavements and skipping red lights.
Nickie recently met with the Guide Dogs for the Blind charity and learnt more about how critical the requirements are to blind and partially sighted members of our community. She heard how frightening and disorientating it can be for blind and partially sighted people. E-scooters are so quiet and even those of us fully sighted are often not aware of its presence until it is right up next to us as we feel the draft as an e-scooter rider passes by
The vast majority of comments on this matter relate to e-scooters that have been privately purchased and are not part of the Transport for London trial. Critically, the use of privately-owned e-scooters on public roads (including pavements) is unlawful. More needs to be done to ensure those selling these scooters highlight the facts to their customers.
Trials are taking place, and Nickie welcomes the extensive safety measures that have been put in place including identification checks and substantial use of GPS technology for parking and speed restrictions around high footfall areas such as our stations.
There is much more we can do to make them safe, and Nickie is continuing to work with Ministers and organisations to ensure local people’s voices are heard, push for legislation that ensures e-scooter drivers adhere to the Highway Code, build on safety for the user and pedestrians, and work with sellers to hold them to account on the sale of private scooters.
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