Electric scooters have been involved in more than 500 recorded crimes in London over the past year, according to Met Police data.
Between July 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021, there were 574 offenses such as thefts or assaults by people who were riding electric scooters at the time.
The data came to light this week following a written question to the Mayor of London from Caroline Pidgeon, a Liberal Democrat member of the London Assembly.
In his response to member of Lib Dem, the mayor of London also revealed that incidents involving electric scooters were “underreported”, but that “work continues” with police to ensure all incidents are processed and recorded with precision.
While an electric scooter rental trial is expected to start in several London boroughs from Monday, June 7, Caroline Pidgeon warned that “electric scooters now offer an attractive option for some criminals”.
Ms Pidgeon said: “The electric scooter trial could offer an attractive new form of transportation for some people, but we should never sacrifice the needs of pedestrians and especially people with disabilities. Avoiding clutter on our sidewalks and ensuring that electric scooters are not used irresponsibly on our roads, let alone on our sidewalks, is absolutely vital.
“Another key challenge is that just as motorcycles and mopeds have been used by criminals in the past, the speed and agility of electric scooters are now an attractive option for some criminals.
“Ensuring that crimes committed by people using electric scooters are brought under control is just another challenge. ”
Crimes involving electric scooters peaked in August last year with 86 offenses across London.
The Borough of Westminster has seen the highest number of offenses involving electric scooters in the past year, with 76 recorded crimes, while Southwark recorded the second highest number at 41.
From Monday, June 7, electric scooters will be available for hire and test drive in Ealing, Canary Wharf, City of London, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and Richmond-upon-Thames.
Electric scooters will be capped at 12.5 miles per hour and come equipped with safety mechanisms, while cyclists will need to complete an online safety course before being hired.
Using private electric scooters on sidewalks and roads is illegal in the UK and will remain so during the trial, with riders facing a penalty of £ 300 and six penalty points on their driving license.
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Source: www.times-series.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-06-04 17:00:00
