E-scooters have become an increasingly common sight in UK cities, as many people opt for the eco-friendly, no-strings-attached way of getting around.

They’ve had some trouble integrating into the transport system, however, as the latest government statistics on road casualties show.

More than 500 people were injured in collisions involving the electric scooters in London alone last year, up from 250 in 2020…

There were 1,359 casualties in collisions involving e-scooters last year in England, Scotland and Wales, up from 484 the previous year: a 280 per cent increase according to the latest factsheet.

Almost 400 of these incidents were serious, and nine e-scooter riders were killed.

The government report describes riders as “vulnerable”, lacking the protection of a vehicle body in the way car users have, and harder to see on the road.

Pedestrians have also been caught up in accidents, with injured walkers rising from 57 in 2020 to 223 last year, including 63 who were seriously hurt. Meanwhile the number of injured cyclists tripled in 2021.