'My best friend was killed in an e-scooter crash - I'm urging the government not to legalise them for use on roads'

14 November 2024, 12:08 | Updated: 14 November 2024, 14:12

A man whose best friend was killed in an e-scooter crash is urging the government not to go ahead with plans to legalise private scooters for use on the roads.

Edwin Holland said he was "deeply" against Transport Secretary Louise Haigh's suggestion on Wednesday that she intended to give the go-ahead for private e-scooters on roads.

Mr Holland's best friend and former partner, south-east Londoner Michael Harris, 44, was riding his e-scooter on a busy street near London Bridge in June 2021, when he collided with a car a horror crash .

His leg and ankle were broken in the initial car crash and he was taken to hospital.

But three weeks later he suffered a blood clot while recovering at home. He was rushed back to hospital but died.

Mr Holland told LBC that he was "still grieving" about Mr Harris' death over three years on, and said he was against plans to legalise e-scooters, which he branded "a nuisance".

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Mr Holland said that they were "dangerous" and a "death trap", adding that people who currently use private e-scooters on the road often don't even comply with driving rules.

Eleven riders and one pedestrian died in e-scooter crashes in Britain in 2022, according to the latest government figures.

A further 1,480 injuries were recorded, including 1,138 riders, 232 pedestrians and 50 cyclists.

In a particularly bad incident, a six-year-old boy was left with a fractured skull after being hit by an e-scooter in Leicester.

Mr Holland also pointed out that some e-scooter riders are using them to break the law.

According to a Freedom of Information request, illegal e-scooters were involved in more than 20,000 crimes logged by the police over three years. That includes drug deals and robberies.

"Young children are using them to mug people and commit crime," Mr Holland added.

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Ms Haigh said introducing regulations for e-scooters was "clearly required".

Despite the use of private e-scooters on the road not being legal, they have become a common sight on the road in recent years.

Trials of rental e-scooters on roads in England have been ongoing in towns and cities since July 2020.

Asked by the Commons' Transport Select Committee if she plans to introduce legislation regulating the use of e-scooters, Ms Haigh replied: "We've not got parliamentary time in this session or a relevant Bill that could be used to regulate e-scooters, but we will look to legislate, absolutely.

"It's clearly required.

"It's not good enough that it's been left in this situation for too long."

Ms Haigh added that e-scooters could be a "really effective part of an integrated transport strategy", particularly by easing journeys for some people with accessibility needs.

But she warned there are "undoubtedly issues around parking and around street litter", and stressed the need to "really carefully analyse what journeys they are replacing, and the behavioural impact of e-scooters".