Electric Scooters: Visual Impairment

(asked on 2nd November 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure the safety of visually impaired individuals from e-scooters.


Answered by
Rachel Maclean Portrait
Rachel Maclean
This question was answered on 10th November 2020

Following our consultation earlier in the year, and feedback from subsequent stakeholder activities, we have required all e-scooters used in trials to have a horn or bell so that users can make others aware of their presence. Additionally, we have instructed all local authorities participating in trials to engage throughout the trial period with disability groups in their areas to ensure their concerns are being heard. We have also made additional commitments such as allowing vulnerable road user groups to take part in the evaluation process.

The trials have created a platform for innovation, and we are seeing very encouraging use of – for example – sound emitting devices on e-scooters in York. This is precisely the sort of initiative we want to monitor and evaluate and to help inform future policy.

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