Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Number of e-scooters on UK roads set to soar - why not everyone's pleased about it

Number of e-scooters on UK roads set to soar - why not everyone's pleased about it

London is to launch a trial of e-scooters within weeks - but concerns have been raised after their rollout in other UK cities.

The number of e-scooters on the UK's roads is set to soar as London prepares to launch a trial of the vehicles in the coming weeks.

They have been hailed as a greener, more sustainable mode of transport that can reduce traffic congestion, but concerns have been raised after trials in other UK cities.

Newcastle has introduced an overnight curfew for e-scooter riders after a spate of drink-driving arrests, with six men due in court on Thursday.

A councillor in Merseyside recently branded the devices "orange death traps" after witnessing people riding them on pavements in Liverpool.

E-scooters have been hailed as a greener, more sustainable mode of transport


And in Leicester, where e-scooters are not being trialled, a six-year-old boy suffered a fractured skull after being struck by a teenager riding one of the vehicles.

So what are the worries about the surge in e-scooters in the UK, what benefits do they bring and how are companies tackling irresponsible users?

'We're really lucky that his little body didn't just crumble'


The sister of a six-year-old boy who suffered a fractured skull after being struck by an e-scooter rider told Sky News she has concerns about their increase on UK roads.

Jamie Smith was sent "somersaulting" through the air and was knocked unconscious outside his home in Leicester after being hit by a teenager riding one of the devices.

Six-year-old Jamie Smith suffered a fractured skull after being hit by an e-scooter rider.


The 17-year-old rider, who failed to stop after the collision, pleaded guilty on Monday to several offences including causing a serious injury by dangerous driving. He is due to be sentenced on 12 April.

Jamie's sister Brooklyn Smith, 21, told Sky News she feared for her brother's life as he was airlifted to hospital after the incident in August.

"We're really lucky that his little body didn't just crumble," she said.

"There was just blood everywhere, absolutely everywhere - all over the pavement, all over my brother.

"His face looked an absolute mess.

"We weren't allowed to scoop him up to cuddle him, we were told to leave him how he was in case anything had happened to his spine."

Jamie's sister said she feared for his life after the collision.


Ms Smith said it took her brother six weeks "to even look in a mirror because his own reflection genuinely frightened him and he didn't recognise his own face".

Since the collision, Jamie has suffered memory loss, nightmares and an "irrational fear of the outside world", she added.

"He overthinks everything in the worst possible scenario and has a constant fear regardless of where he is," Ms Smith said.

"This one incident has put a huge wrecking ball in his life and it's not just affected his face and body, it's affected his trust, his friendships and almost every aspect of his life and it is heartbreaking to see."

Jamie has suffered memory loss and nightmares since the incident, his family say.


Ms Smith told Sky News she believed e-scooters needed to be made safer to avoid other people getting hurt.

"I don't think we can get to the point where we can ban them all together," she said.

"I think they definitely need to make them a lot safer and help make sure this doesn't happen to another child again.

"They need to have some form of testing where if you've got points on your licence or anything like that, because you've been driving without a licence or driving irresponsibly, you shouldn't be able to go on (an e-scooter)."

Where are e-scooters being trialled in the UK?


The government is trialling rental e-scooters in more than 40 towns and cities across England as it assesses their safety and whether they reduce traffic.

Birmingham, Liverpool, Salford, Bristol, Milton Keynes and Newcastle are among the locations taking part in the scheme.

A woman rides a Voi rental e-scooter near the Guildhall in Portsmouth


London is preparing to launch a trial of e-scooters in the coming weeks, with the devices expected to be deployed in 11 out of 33 boroughs in the capital in May, according to reports.

Transport for London (TfL) has not revealed details of the launch but confirmed the trial is expected to start "later this spring".

A TfL spokesperson told Sky News it was in the "final stages of the procurement process" and an announcement on the outcome will be made "in due course".

Further e-scooter trials are due to to begin in Sunderland, North Devon, Rochdale and Great Yarmouth, with the last one expected to end in November.

Riders need to have a full or provisional car, motorcycle or moped licence, and have been urged to wear a helmet.

Only rental e-scooters are allowed on roads, and they are limited to 15.5mph.

E-scooter company Voi said the devices were 'easing the pressure' on public transport systems


E-scooter company Voi, which is involved in trials in 21 towns and cities in the UK, says it has recorded more than one million rides in just over six months.

Sam Pooke, the firm's public policy manager, said e-scooters were "easing the pressure" on public transport systems and providing a "socially distanced way to travel" during the pandemic.

"We're helping people to use a more sustainable, green way of getting around," he said.

"That in turn improves air quality, it improves health, it decreases congestion on the roads and it makes cities much easier and much better for living."

How are e-scooter companies tackling irresponsible riders?


Mr Pooke said Voi has introduced four-digit code licence plates to its e-scooters so anyone riding irresponsibly can be identified.

In order to "battle against drunk-riding", people have to pass a reaction test to use a Voi e-scooter at night, he added. Those who fail the test are sent a link to a local taxi service.

There have been some reports of "slight injuries" but "accident data is remarkably low", according to Mr Pooke.

Sam Pooke from Voi said e-scooters are a 'more sustainable, green way of getting around'


He said the "vast majority of our users are riding them responsibly and safely" but added: "Unfortunately there is a very small minority who ride irresponsibly, such as going on the pavement.

"The best way to tackle this is to work collaboratively with our council partners and the police."

Another e-scooter company, Neuron, operates in Newcastle and Slough and will launch in Sunderland next week.

It told Sky News there had been "some issues with a very small proportion of riders not following the rules and people parking the e-scooters irresponsibly".

However Neuron said the overnight curfew in Newcastle, which immobilises its e-scooters between 11pm and 5am, has led to an "immediate and significant reduction in the number of reports of irresponsible riding".

E-scooter firm Neuron said there had been 'some issues' with the vehicles parked irresponsibly


"Overall the vast majority of users abide by the rules and behave in a safe and responsible manner," it added.

"For those who do break the rules, we generally warn and educate them further and usually cases of repeat offending are rare."

Are e-scooters set to be legalised across the UK?


Privately-owned e-scooters cannot be used on the UK's roads - one of the last countries in Europe where this is the case - due to their classification as a motor vehicle under the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Motor vehicles are required to have number plates, with users needing to have a driver's licence, insurance and wear a helmet.

In October, MPs recommended that e-scooters should be legalised in the UK within 18 months to help make cities greener.

An e-scooter trial is taking place in Milton Keynes


A consultation by parliament's transport committee found the vehicles could be an effective way to cut car journeys and clean up the air.

But the MPs said e-scooters should remain banned from pavements for pedestrian safety.

The transport committee has called for e-scooters to be opened up to everyone, even those without a licence, and helmets to be strongly recommended but not mandated by law.

YouTube star Emily Hartridge became the first e-scooter rider to be killed in the UK in July 2019.

An inquest reportedly found that the 35-year-old lost control due to an underinflated tyre when she collided with a lorry in Battersea, southwest London.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×