The e-scooter experiment has failed - it’s time to ban these death traps

14 November 2024, 08:14 | Updated: 14 November 2024, 12:15

By Johnny Jenkins

@johnnyljenkins

The government’s plan to legalise e-scooters on public roads is alarming. These dangerous machines should be outlawed, not embraced.

E-scooters are now everywhere on Britain’s roads and that’s not a good thing. Currently, it’s illegal to ride one unless it’s from a government-backed trial scheme. Yet, they’re all over busy streets, with police turning a blind eye.

They’re dangerous. A friend of mine was knocked off his bike by a reckless e-scooter rider. He ended up with a broken wrist and hand.

Any sane person can see these should be banned - not legalised, as the government is suggesting.

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

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh says the government will legalise e-scooters in the coming years. This week, she told MPs “we will look to legislate” e-scooters, claiming “it’s clearly required.”

“It’s not good enough that it’s been left in this situation for too long,” she added.

What’s not good enough is that people are dying due to careless e-scooter riders. 

Since 2019, 43 people have died in e-scooter accidents, including six so far this year. The victims have ranged in age from 12 to 74, according to the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety.

These figures should alarm us all.

There’s also the fire risk. The lithium batteries in these devices can ignite, causing massive fires. In London alone, 36 blazes were started by e-scooters last year.

Even if you’re on a legal government-backed scooter, parking is a nightmare. There aren’t enough spaces, so they end up dumped on pavements, blocking pedestrians.

Haigh thinks e-scooters could be part of an “integrated transport strategy.” She’s wrong. If we want healthier, greener travel options, the money would be better spent on cycle schemes.

The e-scooter experiment needs to end. They should be banned, and anyone caught riding one should be prosecuted.

Yes, they can be fun. I’ve enjoyed zipping around on them while on holiday. But with the serious risks they pose, it’s time to ban these death traps e-scooters once and for all.

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