Dudley Council is poised to introduce a ban on e-scooters in town centres following a serious crash that left a 73-year-old woman hospitalised. The move comes after councillors unanimously accepted a Notice of Motion from Liberal Democrat Cllr Andrew Tromans at a meeting on July 13.
Woman Seriously Injured in Stourbridge Crash
The incident involved a 73-year-old woman who was knocked over in Stourbridge by an e-scooter, suffering severe bruising to her eyes, arm and leg. She was hospitalised and is only just recovering, according to Cllr Tromans.
Nationally, it is estimated there are up to one million e-scooters in use, with 82 percent privately owned. Cllr Tromans highlighted government figures indicating e-scooter casualties exceed 1,400 per year, with nearly 500 people sustaining serious injuries and multiple fatalities reported annually.
Illegal Use of Privately Owned Scooters
It is illegal to ride a privately owned e-scooter anywhere other than on private land unless part of an authorised rental scheme. Dudley borough has no such schemes. Cllr Ryan Priest noted that many residents are unaware of the law, often buying e-scooters for their children.
The motion accepted by the meeting asks the council to consider Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) in town centres to prohibit the use of privately owned e-scooters.
Council's Tough Approach to Antisocial Behaviour
Dudley Council recently introduced a tough new antisocial behaviour (ASB) policy, using drones to monitor offenders. Those causing trouble face possible eviction from council homes if their behaviour breaches new tenancy agreements.
Cllr Simon Phipps, cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, supports the legal use of e-scooters but called for teamwork with police to track down high-speed hooligans. He said: "We have seen so many instances, not just e-scooters but yobbos riding around with balaclavas on electric powered bicycles. There is no registration number, no real way of tracking them apart from things my colleagues have done when it comes to introducing drones for council use."
Council leader Cllr Patrick Harley had a message for council tenants whose youngsters cause problems: "It's your household, you are responsible for everybody who lives there. This new tenancy agreement hopefully dovetails with the ASB policy and we get real action."
