WEST Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner is demanding to know when the government will adequately regulate private e-scooters.
Simon Foster has been briefed by West Midlands Police that last year there were 23 collisions in the area involving e-scooters, in which people were seriously injured.
There were 22 the year before.
One person has died, after being involved in an e-scooter collision.
Mr Foster and his political team have been urging the government to regulate the electronic devices for over a year, to keep people safe.
It is currently illegal to ride a privately-owned e-scooter on public land, including roads, pavements and cycle paths, without complying with a number of legal requirements. However, hundreds of people flout the law in our region every day.
In 2022, the government promised to change the law and better regulate privately owned e-scooters, but no change has yet been made.
The PCC wants to see a regulatory regime that is fit for purpose and that includes, electric scooters speed capped, safety helmets mandated and rigorous safety standards.
He said: “I cannot understand why the government is failing to act decisively and get a grip, when it comes to regulating dangerous, privately owned e-scooters.
“It is abundantly clear, that if you do not stop people buying and riding electric scooters, that can travel up to 70mph, then collisions will happen and some will be extremely serious.
“The government has said it will make changes to the law, but nothing has been done and the inaction is making life on the West Midlands roads and pavements much more dangerous than it needs to be.”
