A young boy was injured in an e-scooter crash during the Bournemouth Air Festival on Friday afternoon, causing disruption near Boscombe Pier promenade.
At around 1pm on 3 September 2021, Dorset Police responded to reports of a collision involving an e-scooter and a 4-year-old boy from Christchurch. The boy suffered a suspected fractured collarbone and was taken to Poole Hospital for treatment.
The e-scooter rider, a man in his 30s from Lancashire, was interviewed by officers on suspicion of driving offences under The Road Traffic Act. The e-scooter involved was hired through Beryl, a government-backed trial operating in Bournemouth and Poole that permits legal e-scooter hire with strict speed limits.
Despite legal hire schemes, privately owned e-scooters remain illegal on public pavements, cycle lanes, beach promenades, and parks in Dorset. Dorset Police’s Operation Relentless has intensified efforts this summer to tackle illegal e-scooter use, issuing warnings and seizing scooters where appropriate.
Since January, over 40 riders have been stopped and warned, with recent days seeing increased police action. Scooters used illegally or in connection with crime are subject to seizure.
Dorset Police have made it clear that illegal e-scooter riding will not be tolerated on the county’s streets and promenades.
Originally published by UKNIP.
