The UK Government has unveiled plans to legalise the private use of e-scooters, despite a huge surge in the number of people hospitalised as a result of e-scooter accidents.
The announcement was made during the Queen’s Speech, delivered by Prince Charles.
A recent mass Freedom of Information request to all NHS Ambulance Trusts by the Major Trauma Group revealed that 82 per cent more ambulances were called to assist e-scooter related accidents in 2021, compared to the previous year. In total, the NHS attended 713 patients that had been in an e-scooter related accident in 2021.
Until now, e-scooters have been illegal on roads − except in specific trials – but their private use will now be regulated by new legislation, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed. Laws regulating the use of electric scooters are expected to be introduced in the 2022–23 session.
“The Government would then be able to stipulate that all e-scooters sold met certain standards...