ESC0077

Written evidence submitted by Adrian Stannard

Having been nearly hit by an e-scooter today while walking in Epping Forest and having observed the dangerous way they are used on pavements and roads I would like the committee to consider the following points regarding the use of e-scooters:

1. Silent - They are virtually silent and because of their speed they are not noticed until it is too late to get out of the way. Luckily today my arm was just knocked as it came up behind me at speed and did not stop. A bit closer and I would have been injured. There was no excuse for it being so close to me as the forest path I was on was very wide. It just shot past me and carried on as if I was invisible.
2. Pedestrians – pavements are becoming more difficult to negotiate as more cyclists seem to think they now have a right to use the pavements as well as cycle lanes. On the whole cyclists on pavements behave reasonably and are slower than e-scooters, but e-scooter riders are oblivious to the dangers of hitting the elderly or children who, rightly, assume they should be safe on pavements.
3. Roads – I have seen e-scooters on the roads going very fast in 20mph zones with no thought for other road uses. Not only do the e-scooters create dangers for their riders but also for other road users and could well be the instigator of major accidents. As a car driver I am well aware of how difficult it is to see them or to predict what their next maneuver will be.
4. Safety Equipment – unlike cyclists the riders wear no safety equipment and seem to be oblivious to their own safety and to other people’s safety.
5. Highway Code - There is no sign of them obeying the Highway Code which in itself is a danger as motorists, in particular, expect other road users to comply with the code, to say nothing of the fact it is a legal requirement.
6. Speed – some of the more expensive models can go at 50mph which makes them a lethal weapon, not a mode of urban transport.
7. Cycle Lanes – from my experience scooters in cycle lanes are as much of a danger to cyclists as they are to motorists on the roads and pedestrians on pavements. I do not believe they are a compatible form of transport for this country.
8. Singapore’s Experience – last year, when visiting family in Singapore, I came across e-scooters and where there are very wide empty cycle/pedestrian lanes I could see the attraction of them. Having said that Singapore Government was widely advertising they had to be licensed and various regulations applied. See APPENDIX below which I have found on the web and sums up Singapore’s experience very well.

In summary I don’t believe e-scooters are compatible with our transport network and will in fact create many horrific accidents. They have no environmental benefit compared to cycles and should be banned in the UK.

June 2020

APPENDIX

Singapore Land Transport Authority

https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/newsroom/2019/11/1/e-scooters_tobe_prohibited_on_allfootpaths_following_safety_review.html

E-Scooters to Be Prohibited on All Footpaths Following Safety Review

News Releases 04 Nov 2019 active mobility electric scooter

From Tuesday, 5 November 2019, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will prohibit the riding of electric scooters (e-scooters) on all footpaths. Henceforth, e-scooters can only be ridden on cycling paths and Park Connector Networks (PCNs). The current policy of disallowing personal mobility devices (PMDs) on roads remains.

2             Since the Active Mobility Act was passed in Parliament in February 2017 to allow the use of PMDs on public paths, LTA has sought to encourage the responsible use of these devices through education, enforcement, regulations and infrastructural enhancements. Despite significant efforts, offences relating to errant behaviour and incidents involving e-scooters remained on an upward trend. This has led to much anxiety among pedestrians, particularly more vulnerable groups such as the elderly and young. In the wake of recent incidents involving errant e-scooter riders, LTA has conducted a thorough safety review and will take decisive action to restore safety on footpaths.

3             To give e-scooter users time to adjust to the ban, LTA will provide an advisory period from 5 November to 31 December 2019. From 1 January 2020, a zero-tolerance approach will be taken and those caught riding an e-scooter on footpaths will face regulatory action. Offenders are liable for fines up to $2,000 and/or face imprisonment of up to 3 months, if convicted.

4             Bicycles and Personal Mobility Aids (PMAs), such as motorised wheelchairs, will continue to be allowed on footpaths, cycling paths and PCNs. Please see Annex A for the types of devices allowed on various public paths and roads.

Active Mobility Infrastructural Developments                                                                 

5             After the e-scooter ban on footpaths takes effect, e-scooter users can continue to use cycling paths and PCNs. There are currently about 440km of cycling paths island-wide and LTA will expand this network to 750km by 2025, and triple the distance by 2030. All HDB towns will also have a cycling path network by 2030. In new precincts such as Kampong Bugis, Tengah and Woodlands North Coast, LTA plans to build cycling paths on both sides of the road. New cycling paths may also be added in private residential estates and industrial estates.

6             Several cycling path projects are nearing completion in major towns. From next year, residents in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Bukit Panjang, Taman Jurong and Tampines can enjoy greater active mobility connectivity as sections of cycling paths in these neighbourhoods will be completed. For example, a resident living at Block 470 Tampines Street 44 will be able to ride seamlessly along the cycling path network to Tampines Hub in 20 minutes. Annex B illustrates the route taken for the journey. Please refer to Annex C for maps of some upcoming cycling paths and their completion dates.

7             By 2025, e-scooter riders living in Choa Chu Kang, Toa Payoh and Woodlands will also be able to enjoy expanded cycling paths for their first and last mile connectivity, to travel from their homes to public transport nodes and other amenities. Active mobility device users may refer to MyTransport.SG app to navigate the cycling paths and PCNs.

Extension of early disposal incentive

8             Of the 100,000 registered e-scooters, at least 80,000 are not UL2272-certified and cannot be used on all public paths (footpaths, cycling paths and PCNs) come 1 July 2020. Of the remaining 20%, those which fail the inspection regime that commences from 1 April 2020, will have their registration cancelled. It is an offence to ride unregistered or non-compliant e-scooters on public paths. We strongly urge the owners of non-compliant e-scooters to dispose their devices early to protect themselves and their neighbours from unnecessary fire risks.

9             Since the introduction of the $100 early disposal incentive in September, LTA has received more than 9,000 applications from owners to dispose of their registered non-UL2272 certified e-scooters. To encourage more to step forward, LTA will be extending the Early Disposal Incentive by one month to 31 December 2019 and providing more disposal points in December 2019.  Please refer to Annex D for details.