Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve safety for pedestrians from collisions involving e-scooters.

Safety will always be a top priority for e-scooters, as for every other mode of transport. As we develop new regulations, we are determined to protect vulnerable road users by making users accountable for their actions and improving compliance with the rules. Our work will be informed by lessons learnt from trials, where measures have been put in place to improve rider training and require that e-scooters have a bell or a horn so that they are audible. We will consult publicly before any new arrangements come into force.

The use of e-scooters on the pavement is illegal under current legislation, and the Government has no plans to change this. Enforcement is a matter for the police. The Department for Transport has been in regular contact with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, who are developing a national strategy for enforcing the law around e-scooters to encourage a uniform approach to the issue.