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Concerns about the potential dangers of e-scooters and e-bikes have been raised by islanders who are calling for increased regulation after a dog walker was recently injured by an e-scooter.
An increasing number of islanders are embracing e-bikes and e-scooters as a way to commute in a more eco-friendly way but some have warned that their faster speeds increase the risk of serious accidents, especially in busy areas.
While some stress their environmental impact and others point out their potential dangers, most agree that action is needed to preventively address the risk of serious accidents.
Kate Mills, the owner of The Good Egg café at Havre des Pas, has drawn attention to this issue in the area – where her customers queue on the promenade alongside pedestrians, and cyclists.
She said: “It’s an accident waiting to happen. There have been so many near misses.
“The issue has got gradually worse over the past four years of owning the café.”
To address this, Mrs Mills wants the Government to set up official signs to urge cyclists to slow down or to dismount after the signs she put up were largely ignored.
Pictured: Former nurse Kate Mills owns The Good Egg seaside café.
Having previously worked as a nurse for 30 years, the café owner is particularly concerned about the potential for head injuries resulting from collisions where e-bikes are travelling at high speeds.
“I know how bad they can be,” she explained.
“There have already been at least five minor injuries caused by bike collisions.
"We need to be proactive rather than reactive.”
One person who understand the potential for injury all too well is islander Sarah Highfield, who suffered a broken leg when she was hit by an e-scooter in May.
Ms Highfield now wants to raise awareness of “how dangerous they are” and has called for legislation governing their use to “catch up fast”.
She was walking her eight-year-old rescue dog Buddy up Patier Road in St Saviour on the May Day Bank Holiday when 25-year-old Toby Woolley collided with her.
Woolley, who also crashed into a wall and injured his face, was arrested shortly after.
It is currently illegal to ride e-scooters on public roads, although the island’s Head of Roads Policing – Inspector Callum O’Connor – last year explained that officers were trying to advise and educate those breaking the law before seeking to prosecute them.
Woolley initially denied the charges of illegally using an e-scooter, causing serious injury by riding it carelessly, and failing to report the accident.
However, he eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Magistrate’s Court to a total of 130 hours of community service – and was disqualified from driving for 18 months.
He was also fined £1,000 and ordered to pay compensation of £5,000.
Ms Highfield, who was treated by paramedics, explained that her left fibula was broken as a result of the accident.
Pictured: Sarah Highfield suffered a broken leg after being hit by an e-scooter in May. (Jon Guegan)
She said: “Before the accident, I had no idea how powerful these scooters could be. The one he was on could go 40mph and some can even reach 60mph.
“Some parents might be buying them for their children, unaware of how dangerous they are. Without a helmet, the rider could have suffered some serious head injuries, possibly even worse.
“Because they are illegal on public roads, they are completely unregulated, with no apparent need for lights, helmets, insurance or abiding by a speed limit.
Ms Highfield explained that, following the accident, she wanted to make people aware of e-scooters – describing them as “powerful machines that fall outside of the law”.
She said: “It seems to me that the law needs to catch up, and fast.”
Cyclist campaigner Alistair Mitchell agreed that the law needs to be updated to deal with any problems e-scooters cause, but also pointed to the benefits of battery-assisted travel like e-scooters when it comes to assisting Jersey’s efforts to go carbon-neutral and reduce reliance on cars.
Mr Mitchell, a member of the Cycle4Jersey advocacy group, said: “I am keen for all types of transport to be added to give people a choice.
“E-scooters and other electric transporters such as segways or skateboards or whatever are here. And the law needs to adapt to accommodate their use.
“The key to promoting alternative transport is for everyone to respect each other and look out for each other."
He added: "We have a serious problem of ‘us v them’ where we vilify all other transport users. We are all pedestrians who sometimes use cars or bikes or buses or e-scooters or whatever.
"We need to move away from identifying people by the transport they use and change our behaviour to safeguard everyone, using whatever type of transport they are using at that time.
“I have no issue with e-scooters as long as they are used respectfully. And if they create problems then the law needs to be able to deal with them.
"The problems are a minority group. We must not label everyone with the actions of the few."
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