Plea to government after boy hurt on e-scooter

Serious injuries to a nine-year-old boy riding an e-scooter have led a council leader to urge the government to make a call on whether the devices will remain on UK streets.

The boy went to hospital after a crash with a van on Church Lane in Redditch shortly before 11:00 BST on Monday.

The government is yet to make a final decision on legalising e-scooters, six years after launching trials in selected parts of the country - a gap which according to Redditch Borough Council leader Matt Dormer poses public safety risks.

A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson said its thoughts were with the boy and it was committed to updating the law around e-scooters.

Redditch was a trial location for the use of e-scooters in 2020, but the programme ended in 2023 after the company running it pulled out.

There are still 18 live trials across England, which have been extended multiple times, and are set to run until 2028.

But Dormer is wary of the legislative limbo, and warns that as ministers make up their minds, the daylight between permissions for some areas and not others, and delay between trial and formal backing - or walking away - may endanger people.

"The sooner the legislation changes, the sooner restrictions can be brought in - the government needs to make a decision," he said.

Restricted use combined with the availability of the devices online, he added, might be confusing people about what they can and cannot do.

Currently only the government-backed e-scooter hire schemes in trial areas are legal. Privately-owned e-scooters remain banned on public roads and pavements.

There is also an age limit of 18 or above, and people using them must have a provisional driving licence and adhere to strict safety procedures.

"When (the) things are so ready available to be purchased, I think that's half the issue," Dormer said.

"The trials need to end and some sort of legislation needs to come in - the government can then impose speed restrictions, we can look at insurance restrictions, even licensing might be an option to help restrict the use of them.

"If the government makes a decision, then you have the ability to look at all that.

"We forget that these things are just the same as a push bike, only with less effort required - and I would say you're more vulnerable on one than a push bike."

He added he felt for the injured boy and his family and stressed the full circumstances surrounding the crash were yet to emerge, but it remained the case, he said, that "there are too many of these e-scooters being used on public highways".

A DfT spokesperson said: "We're sorry to hear about this incident - our thoughts are with the boy and his loved ones.

"Road safety is our top priority, and we have committed to updating the law to make sure e-scooters are safe."

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said it was not appealing for witnesses in connection with the crash, and the boy remained in hospital with "serious injuries".

The van driver remained at the scene and was spoken to by officers, the force confirmed.

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