‘Her death is tragic- but the question is what was she doing on an illegal scooter?’-Keith Prince AM.

On Monday 21 of March a 14 year old girl tragically lost her life in a collision on Green Street in Newham riding an e-scooter. The e-scooter was in collision with a van and sadly the 14 year old died at the scene. The shocking incident has once again bought the e-scooter into attention for all the wrong reasons.

“This really is tragic news and my thoughts are with her family,” tells us Keith Prince, GLA Conservative member for Havering and Redbridge. “The question is though, what was she doing riding an illegal scooter? Why had her school allowed her to go out in this when they are known to be illegal?”

E-scooters have been a debatable point since their introduction. Common on our streets and roads despite being illegal. The police have been out confiscating them as best they can, but with not enough police on our streets due to cuts, scooters are not the top priority.

“I know TFL are currently doing a trial using e-scooters but they only have a maximum speed of 8.5 kph and not the speed we see these scooters used on our streets, also they will not be available for under 16 year olds. They are illegal and if you are caught on one, you face 9 points on your licence, having the scooter removed and a fine.

“Police now more than ever need to be confiscating these scooters and the school should be asked why whilst in their care had they allowed a 14 year old girl out on our streets on an illegal scooter.”

The Havering Daily spoke to Hugh a founder member of the Drivers Alliance about the use of these e-scooters on our roads and the impact they have on other road users.

“They really are hideously dangerous, the come at you from all sides at high speeds and weave in and out of traffic. It is a no win situation for other road users, especially motorists.

“The question is how do we cope with them? They are spreading like a rash on our streets and somehow it is always the motorist that is found at fault. It is a real problem.”

Sadly, despite being illegal they are indeed a real cause for concern and as we have seen, a death trap. It is shocking that even in Havering we have witnessed parents taking their children to school on the back on an e-scooter and despite knowing that they are illegal, riders still chose to use them illegally on our streets.