Richmond: Sadiq Khan pledges to clamp down on illegal e-scooters

By Guest 14th Oct 2021

Mayor's Question Time. Credit: Arthur Parashar.
Mayor's Question Time. Credit: Arthur Parashar.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has vowed to help fight the ongoing battle against the illegal use of e-scooters in London.

Speaking at Mayor's Question Time, he welcomed ideas from the London Assembly to implement changes in response to the capital seeing four fatalities and several injuries in the past year from these eco-friendly vehicles.

The death of a 53-year-old man in Twickenham sparked a debate over whether they should be banned.

He said: "You can't uninvent the e-scooter" so London must take inspiration from other countries to adapt them to be fit for purpose.

Retailers, who are legally allowed to sell e-scooters, have been heavily criticised for not informing buyers of the relevant laws. In 2019, an LBC investigation showed that out of seven shops they approached, five of them were unaware of the laws.

The Mayor revealed 1,103 e-scooters were seized in June alone by the Metropolitan Police and provided clarity that TFL's rental scheme is the only way to ride them legally.

Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat Assembly Member, acknowledged this work but cited industries such as delivery companies are still flouting rules.

She said today: "I'm not sure what level of enforcement there really has been since June by the Met and other Police."

Previously she has said: "The Mayor has a key role to play in ensuring effective action is taken against people who are illegally riding private e-scooters on our roads and pavements.

Mr Khan is committed to clamping down on its wider use and said: "I don't think we've written to delivery companies up until now. Can I take that away?"

He urged members to expose companies breaking laws and said: "Please, please let us know. Not only will we write to them, we'll then follow up with the Met Police… because they're illegal."

The Mayor insisted that retailers are reminded around Christmas that they should inform customers of the regulations.

Halfords was named as a role-model store by Pidgeon and the Mayor for their clarity on regulations through clear signage.

The industry is taking off globally but despite this eco-centric move, London cannot hide from the private e-scooter epidemic it now faces.

     

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