Sight Loss Councils: e-scooter safety figures “wake up call”

The Sight Loss Councils have responded to an ITV Tonight investigation into the numbers of injuries and complaints caused by trials of rental e-scooters, calling the findings shocking but “no surprise.” 

Freedom of information requests by ITV revealed more than 210 injuries, 1100 complaints, 25 collisions and 805 incidents involving e-scooters were reported to local authorities. The most frequent complaints were found to be around irresponsible parking of e-scooters.

Sight Loss Councils expressed “deep concern” by the findings of the investigation, with Mike Bell, national public affairs lead for Sight Loss Councils, commenting: “This investigation by ITV Tonight should be a wake-up call to all e-scooter operators and the Government that the trials have not been the triumph that many make them out to be.”

The organisation’s #StreetsForAll campaign aims to raise awareness of the dangers of e-scooters and improve safety, with irresponsible parking of the devices causing potential trip hazards and obstructions for disabled pedestrians.

Sight Loss Councils have urged e-scooter operators and local authorities to address the concerns and improve safety, calling for mandatory on-road parking bays and a reduction to the 15.5mph speed limit. They are also calling for the installation of sound-emitting devices and geotagging to prevent pavement use.

Bell added: “Whilst many operators and local councils have been working positively with us to try and improve the safety of e-scooters, in too many areas this has not yet been enough.”

The #StreetsForAll campaign is asking members of the public to share photos and videos of badly parked e-scooters to raise awareness of the dangers, and which will then be shared with e-scooter operators. 

Earlier this year, as part of the #StreetsForAll campaign, the Sight Loss Councils highlighted the issues that inaccessible street designs are causing for blind and partially sighted pedestrians.