Recurring concern

Inadequate public information about lawful e-scooter use

First to latest report 14 Dec 2022 — 11 Jul 2023

Reports that mention this concern: 2
Times this concern has been raised: 2
Stated actions linked to this concern: 20

What this concern includes

Includes only assertions that directly instantiate the manually reviewed condition ‘Inadequate public information about lawful e-scooter use’ and satisfy this evidence boundary: Two distinct reports directly support ineffective education or insufficiently prominent warnings about illegal e-scooter use. Only one concerns hire schemes, so remove that unsupported qualifier and retain the shared legal-use information boundary.

What is not included

Excludes general road-safety, driver-training or powered-two-wheeler education where hire e-scooter safety information is not the specific concern.
Excludes vehicle design, braking, registration, licensing and operator-fitness controls unless the assertion specifically concerns communicating safe or lawful hire e-scooter use.
Excludes isolated illegal riding or unsafe use where no continuing deficiency in safety education, warnings or information provision is identified.
Excludes generic school, family or child-safety education unrelated to hire e-scooter use.
Excludes manifestations outside the manually reviewed boundary: Two distinct reports directly support ineffective education or insufficiently prominent warnings about illegal e-scooter use. Only one concerns hire schemes, so remove that unsupported qualifier and retain the shared legal-use information boundary.

Trends

Reports over time

Reports mentioning this concern, over time

Reports about this concern issued each year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Most frequent recipients

Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.

Department for Transport2

Amazon UK Services Ltd.1

Collaborative Mobility UK1

EScooterClinic1

Evolve Skateboards UK Limited1

Greater London Authority1

Halfords Group PLC1

Harrods Limited1

Home Office1

Metropolitan Police Service1

OnBoards1

Selfridges Retail Limited1

Transport for London1

West Midlands Combined Authority1

Reports and published responses 2 reports

See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response

11 Jul2023
Birmingham and Solihull
Concerns raised1
1. Ineffective education and information for preventing children from illegally using hire e-scooters
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses

Department for Transport
Mayor of the West Midlands
Stated actions 4
1. Mayor of the West Midlands
  Develop e-scooter education programmes with fire and police services and relevant institutions.
2. Mayor of the West Midlands
  Run education programmes with institutions where underage riding has been identified.
3. Department for Transport
  Encourage operators to continue additional measures and good practice deterring under-age riding.
1. Department for Transport
  Issue updated guidance strengthening licence and identity checks, storage and validation requirements, in-app rule messaging, and operator compliance confirmation.
Respondent positions 1
1. Department for Transport
  Procurement and management of licence-verification software are outside the Department’s involvement.
  Outside remit
AI-generated summary

MUSTAFA NADEEM · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

On 6 December 2022, 12-year-old Mustafa Nadeem was fatally injured after colliding with a pedestrian while riding a hire e-scooter to school and falling into the path of a bus. The principal concern was that children could easily use hire e-scooters illegally, and that existing precautions and education were ineffective in preventing this.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Ineffective education and information for preventing children from illegally using hire e-scooters
Wider context from the report
“I heard evidence from the head teacher of the deceased’s school that from the outset of the hire e-scooter pilot scheme pupils riding e-scooters illegally was instantly problematic. Upon it being known the school would seize e-scooters pupils would simply abandon them at the end of the road. Despite education and the facts of this death being known, children from the same school and other schools continued to use hire e-scooters illegally. I heard evidence that education is paramount to safe use of hire e-scooters and this requires a collaborative approach. ”
Source location
MUSTAFA NADEEM · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 2 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Develop e-scooter education programmes with fire and police services and relevant institutions.

Verbatim wording from the response
“We remain extremely keen on better education of e-scooters, which is why Beryl is already discussing how - alongside West Midlands Fire Service and West Midlands Police - education programmes will run with institutions where underage riding has previously been identified. These specific interventions are planned to run alongside Beryl’s existing programme of rider training schools.”

Source location
Response from West Midlands
Page 2 · response
Published 18 July 2023
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Run education programmes with institutions where underage riding has been identified.

Verbatim wording from the response
“We remain extremely keen on better education of e-scooters, which is why Beryl is already discussing how - alongside West Midlands Fire Service and West Midlands Police - education programmes will run with institutions where underage riding has previously been identified. These specific interventions are planned to run alongside Beryl’s existing programme of rider training schools.”

Source location
Response from West Midlands
Page 2 · response
Published 18 July 2023
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Encourage operators to continue additional measures and good practice deterring under-age riding.

Verbatim wording from the response
“I note your comments about the effectiveness of current precautions in preventing children from (illegally) hiring e-scooters, but it is important to acknowledge the steps that e-scooter rental operators have already taken to discourage under-age riding. These vary across the 23 trial areas and include but are not limited to: in-app safety pop-ups and quizzes to ensure awareness of the rules; in-person safety events and training sessions, some held in partnership with the local police; foot patrols by the operator across the trial area; reviews of the location of parking bays; and advertising the rules beyond the app and website, for example in newspapers, on advertising boards, and through the use of stickers on the e-scooter itself.”

Source location
Response from Department for Transport
Page 1 · response
Published 18 July 2023
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Issue updated guidance strengthening licence and identity checks, storage and validation requirements, in-app rule messaging, and operator compliance confirmation.

Verbatim wording from the response
“procedures and concluded the minimum standards required from operators should be strengthened to further discourage illegal use.”

Source location
Response from Department for Transport
Page 2 · response
Published 18 July 2023
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Procurement and management of licence-verification software are outside the Department’s involvement.

Verbatim wording from the response
“The Department is not involved in the procurement or management of this software, but whatever system is used must be robust. All operators must also ensure they have in-app messaging that states the rules clearly, including the age limit for the trial, and the rule that the person riding the e-scooter must hold a valid driving licence.”

Source location
Response from Department for Transport
Page 2 · response
Published 18 July 2023
Open published response
14 Dec2022
East London
Concerns raised1
1. Failure to provide prominent written warnings about the illegal use of e-scooters
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses

Amazon UK Services Ltd.
Evolve Skateboards UK
Halfords Group PLC
Harrods Limited
Mayor of London
Metropolitan Police Service
OnBoards
Selfridges Retail Limited, trading as Selfridges
Transport for London
Stated actions 16
1. Amazon UK Services Ltd.
  Display prominent e-scooter product-page warnings prohibiting use on UK public roads or spaces and linking to current government guidance.
2. OnBoards
  Display and provide warnings that private electric scooters are illegal on public roads, footpaths, and cycle lanes.
3. Halfords Group PLC
  Display prominent in-store signage explaining e-scooter legal restrictions, including the prohibition on public-road use.
1. Halfords Group PLC
  Print clear legal-use statements on all e-scooter price tickets and warranties.
2. Halfords Group PLC
  State e-scooter public-use restrictions in online product-page headers and blog references.
3. Halfords Group PLC
  Continuously review and update signage and customer-information processes, adapting them when improvements are identified.
4. Halfords Group PLC
  Communicate with digital teams to maintain prominent legal messages across online and social-media platforms.
5. Halfords Group PLC
  Ask digital teams to identify ways to make online and social-media legal messages clearer.
6. Mayor of London and Transport for London
  Write to private e-scooter retailers and run a public communications campaign explaining that private e-scooter use is illegal.
7. Selfridges Retail Limited, trading as Selfridges
  Maintain prominent customer warnings that privately sold e-scooters cannot lawfully be ridden on public roads, pavements or other public places, in stores and online.
8. Selfridges Retail Limited, trading as Selfridges
  Continue reviewing and reminding store and digital teams to provide suitable e-scooter legal-status communications to customers.
9. Evolve Skateboards UK
  Reinforce safe-use guidelines through customer-service practice and after-sales documentation, including the user manual.
10. Evolve Skateboards UK
  Publish customers’ responsibility to comply with local safety and legal requirements in the website store policy.
11. Metropolitan Police Service
  Send annual joint letters to e-scooter retailers requesting prominent point-of-sale warnings about e-scooter legality.
12. Harrods Limited
  Advise customers at sale that Harrods E-Scooters are unsuitable for road use and record the warning on sales receipts.
13. Harrods Limited
  Display E-Scooter legal-use notices in-store and online, and direct in-store purchasers to read them before completing purchases.
AI-generated summary

Fatima Abukar · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Fatima Abukar, a 14-year-old girl, died from catastrophic head injuries after the privately owned e-scooter she was riding entered the carriageway and struck a mini-bus. The concerns included e-scooter fatalities and enforcement, the absence of a requirement for riders of legally authorised scooters to wear head protection, and inconsistent or insufficiently prominent warnings about illegal e-scooter use.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure to provide prominent written warnings about the illegal use of e-scooters
Wider context from the report
“3. Some manufacturers and retailers of e-scooters in England and Wales provide consumers with written warnings about the illegal use of e-scooters, others do not. Where such warnings are present, often they are not prominent. ”
Source location
Fatima Abukar · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 2 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Display prominent e-scooter product-page warnings prohibiting use on UK public roads or spaces and linking to current government guidance.

Verbatim wording from the response
“- we include a warning on product pages for e-scooters which makes clear that they are prohibited from use in any public road or space in the UK;”

Source location
Response from Amazon UK
Page 1 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Display and provide warnings that private electric scooters are illegal on public roads, footpaths, and cycle lanes.

Verbatim wording from the response
“6. In the scooters section of our shop we have displayed a sign that explicitly mentions the illegality of using electric scooter that are not from rental companies in public roads”

Source location
Response from Onboards
Page 1 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Display prominent in-store signage explaining e-scooter legal restrictions, including the prohibition on public-road use.

Verbatim wording from the response
“• Prominent signage next to e-scooters in stores, clearly explaining the law, including that they are not to be used on public roads;”

Source location
Response from Halfords
Page 1 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Print clear legal-use statements on all e-scooter price tickets and warranties.

Verbatim wording from the response
“• A clear legal statement on all e-scooter price tickets;”

Source location
Response from Halfords
Page 1 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
State e-scooter public-use restrictions in online product-page headers and blog references.

Verbatim wording from the response
“• that the headers on all e-scooter product detail pages state that it is illegal to use them on a public road, pavement or cycle lane; and,”

Source location
Response from Halfords
Page 2 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Continuously review and update signage and customer-information processes, adapting them when improvements are identified.

Verbatim wording from the response
“As a result, Halfords has previously been recognised as a responsible retailer of e-scooters by the then Secretary of State for Business¹ and a Police and Crime Commissioner². The steps we take are intended to ensure that throughout their purchasing journey every customer is fully aware of the law that applies in this area, and we consider that this shows how seriously we take our responsibilities in this regard. We work hard to maintain our reputation as a responsible retailer of these products. This is why we constantly review the way we inform customers about the law; why we have updated, and will continue to update, our signage and why we adapt our processes extremely quickly if we identify improvements that can be made.”

Source location
Response from Halfords
Page 2 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Communicate with digital teams to maintain prominent legal messages across online and social-media platforms.

Verbatim wording from the response
“We have, for example, just recently sent a communication to our digital teams to make sure they maintain the prominence of messages about the current law, in our on-line and social media platforms, and we have asked them to see if they can find ways of making those messages even clearer.”

Source location
Response from Halfords
Page 2 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Ask digital teams to identify ways to make online and social-media legal messages clearer.

Verbatim wording from the response
“We have, for example, just recently sent a communication to our digital teams to make sure they maintain the prominence of messages about the current law, in our on-line and social media platforms, and we have asked them to see if they can find ways of making those messages even clearer.”

Source location
Response from Halfords
Page 2 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Write to private e-scooter retailers and run a public communications campaign explaining that private e-scooter use is illegal.

Verbatim wording from the response
“In addition, in the lead up to Christmas, with the expected increase in the sale of private e-scooters, ████████, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, and Metropolitan Police Service (‘MPS’) Commander, ████████, jointly wrote to retailers to remind them of their duty to make customers aware of the law regarding the use of private e-scooters. TfL and the MPS have also jointly run a communications campaign to raise public awareness that private e-scooters are illegal.”

Source location
Response from Transport for London
Page 3 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Maintain prominent customer warnings that privately sold e-scooters cannot lawfully be ridden on public roads, pavements or other public places, in stores and online.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Selfridges is a responsible retailer and, in particular, we recognise our responsibility to ensure that when we sell e-scooters we should make it clear to customers that an e-scooter may not be lawfully ridden on the public highway.”

Source location
Response from Selfridges
Page 1 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Continue reviewing and reminding store and digital teams to provide suitable e-scooter legal-status communications to customers.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Since 2020, and particularly in the run up to the peak trading period around Christmas, Selfridges Legal team has reviewed and reminded stores and digital trading teams about this matter and the need for suitable communications to customers.”

Source location
Response from Selfridges
Page 1 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Reinforce safe-use guidelines through customer-service practice and after-sales documentation, including the user manual.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Evolve Skateboards actively encourages and reinforces the safe and responsible use of our product through pre and post-sale activity. As a top-line summary, this includes, though is not limited to:”

Source location
Response from Evolve Skateboards
Page 2 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Publish customers’ responsibility to comply with local safety and legal requirements in the website store policy.

Verbatim wording from the response
“• Reference to the responsibility of customer’s to ensure compliance with the safety and legal requirements in their jurisdiction as part of our store policy provided on our website.”

Source location
Response from Evolve Skateboards
Page 2 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Send annual joint letters to e-scooter retailers requesting prominent point-of-sale warnings about e-scooter legality.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Some manufacturers and retailers of e-scooters in England and Wales provide consumers with written warnings about the illegal use of e-scooters, others do not. Where such warnings are present, often they are not prominent.”

Source location
Response from Metropolitan Police
Page 3 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Advise customers at sale that Harrods E-Scooters are unsuitable for road use and record the warning on sales receipts.

Verbatim wording from the response
“At the time of writing, customers are advised at the point of sale that E-Scooters purchased from Harrods are not suitable for road use and text is added to their sales receipts to reflect this. Furthermore, we routinely recommend to customers that they purchase helmets for use with their E-Scooters. Helmets are available for sale in the Technology department and are displayed alongside the E-Scooters. We are also implementing age verification checks at the point of sale to ensure that E-Scooters are not sold to persons under the age of 18.”

Source location
Response from Harrods
Page 1 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Display E-Scooter legal-use notices in-store and online, and direct in-store purchasers to read them before completing purchases.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Further to the above, we are now taking steps to prepare notices to be displayed in the Technology department and on our online retail website, harrods.com. Such notices will make clear that it is illegal to use an E-Scooter on a public road and in spaces that are set aside for use by pedestrians, cyclists and horse-riders”

Source location
Response from Harrods
Page 1 · response
Published 19 December 2022
Open published response

Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.

Data last updated 7 September 2026

What this concern includes

Trends

Reports mentioning this concern, over time

Concerns raised1

Ineffective education and information for preventing children from illegally using hire e-scooters

Linked responses

Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4

Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1

Concerns raised1

Failure to provide prominent written warnings about the illegal use of e-scooters

Linked responses

Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.16

Stated actions 4

Respondent positions 1

Stated actions 16