Charity calls for ban on e-scooter sales after three-year-old injured

The girl was in Myatt's Field Park with her family when she collided with an e-scooter

A charity for blind people has called for a ban on the sale of e-scooters after a three-year-old girl was left with life changing injuries in a south London park.

The girl was with her family in Myatt's Field Park, Lambeth, when she collided with one on Monday, police said.

The National Federation of the Blind UK (NFBUK) wants the sale of e-scooters to be banned from shops.

It claimed e-scooters are making pavements unsafe for pedestrians.

For members of the NFBUK who are blind or visually impaired, it is "absolutely terrifying", it added.

"There should be an amnesty in London so people can just drop their e-scooters off so they don't have to worry about trying to dispose of them," Sarah Gayton from NFBUK said.

On Sunday, 16-year-old Junior Shay Alexander died after his e-scooter crashed with a car in Bromley, south-east London.

According to NFBUK there have been 10 serious injuries as a result of collisions, and one fatality since the start of 2021.

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E-scooter trials

Eight London boroughs are taking part in year-long government-backed trials were people can hire them and ride them on roads.

The rental e-scooters have additional safety features with a maximum speed of 12.5mph, which is below the 15.5mph limit set by the Department for Transport.

It is currently against the law to use private scooters in public areas because they do not always have visible rear red lights, number plates or signalling ability.

But the charity claims more people are using privately owned scooters, which should not be used on roads, cycle lanes or pavements.

Ms Gayton said shops selling them "know that their customers are actually using them on the highway and it's illegal so they need to be stopped".

Eight boroughs are taking part in year-long government-backed trials

'Proactive patrols'

In June police removed more than 500 e-scooters from London's streets during what the Met called "proactive patrols".

The "week of action" was triggered by the increased usage of uninsured e-scooters, police said.

Transport for London's walking and cycling commissioner Will Norman said: "I'm devastated that a toddler has suffered life-changing injuries following a collision with an e-scooter in Lambeth on Monday night.

Mr Norman said he believes the incident involved a private e-scooter, which are illegal to use on public land.

He added: "TfL's e-scooter rental trial has safety as its top priority and a more stringent set of safety standards have been put in place than those required nationally, including a lower maximum speed of 12.5mph."