Met Police confiscated just one e-scooter a week despite ban
The Metropolitan Police confiscated just one e-scooter per week on average last year, despite a crackdown on the illegal road use of the vehicles.
Of these, 25 confiscations came in the two weeks following the death of Emily Hartridge, who was hit by a lorry while riding an e-scooter in London in July 2019.
In the City of London, only 12 e-scooters were confiscated during 2019, according to data obtained by FOI request by e-scooter support group Scootered.
The figures come the same day that the Department for Transport commenced a new consultation on how to make the UK’s transport laws “greener, easier and smarter”.
As part of the consultation the government will also look into the role that e-scooters could play in local transport, including making sure that they are safe for road use.
The government will also consider user requirements for the vehicles, such as whether users will need to be over a certain age, hold a license, or wear a helmet.
Despite the ban on the vehicles, sales of e-scooters actually jumped over last year’s festive period, rising 96 per cent year on year in the three months to the start of January 2020, according to data collated by Swedish e-scooter startup Voi.