Baroness Vere of Norbiton

Department for Transport

Great Minster House

33 Horseferry Road

London

SW1P 4DR

27^th July 2022

Our Ref: 20220727/JC

Dear Baroness Vere,

RE: Dangerously modified e-scooters

I am writing to you following yet more reports of dangerously modified e-scooters being seized by police. These reports represent only a microcosm of the wider issue, and despite repeated pleas from campaign groups and others, I do not believe your Department is addressing the matter with the urgency it deserves.

It has been reported today that the Metropolitan police recently seized an e-scooter which could reach speeds of up to 65mph. It is deeply worrying to think about the damage this could have caused had it struck another road user at these sorts of speeds.

But the police have made it clear that they do not have the tools to stop the estimated 750,000 private e-scooters being ridden illegally on UK roads. Your Department must step in to tackle this growing problem which is putting lives at risk.

I am aware that the upcoming legislation will pave the way for e-scooters to be legalised and regulated on UK roads. However, this does not prevent the Government from acting now to take dangerously manufactured and/or modified e-scooters out of public spaces. Indeed, this work is all the more vital if we are to see safe private e-scooters become legalised for public use in future.

I urge you to look carefully at these latest reports and launch a renewed effort to crackdown on dangerously modified e-scooters which are causing havoc on our streets.

Yours sincerely,

Gill Furniss MP

Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

Shadow Minister for Roads