E-scooters: More than 500 injuries recorded in London last year

Almost 40% of injuries involving e-scooters across England, Scotland and Wales last year happened in London, according to new government figures.

The Met Police recorded 510 casualties in the capital during 2021, more than double the number in 2020.

Nine deaths were reported across England, Scotland and Wales last year.

Use of privately-owned e-scooters on public roads is illegal, although certain devices can be used in parts of London through a rental trial scheme.

The report, released on Wednesday, showed how many injuries were reported in incidents involving e-scooters by police forces across the country.

It highlights that as well as the figures recorded by the Met, City of London Police had an additional nine cases.

More than 3,600 privately-owned e-scooters were also seized by police in the capital last year.

Labour's London Assembly transport spokesperson Elly Baker told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the data showed the need for "robust regulation" around e-scooter use.

She said: "It is concerning to see these figures which show that in many cases e-scooters are still being used dangerously, putting the most vulnerable Londoners at risk."

Transport for London (TfL) recently announced the rental trial scheme would be extended until November.

The transport body said the extension was implemented to "shape our understanding of the role that e-scooters could play in the capital's transport network".

E-scooters available to hire are fitted with safety measures which are not present on private models such as a restricted speed limit and lights.

More than a million journeys have been made under the scheme since it began last June, but 16 serious injuries have been recorded by operators Tier, Dott and Lime.

Speaking about the scheme's extension, Ms Baker said it was "crucial that we look very carefully at the data to confirm whether e-scooters can indeed make a positive contribution to London's transport ecosystem".

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