Opinion divided on safety and benefit of e-scooters
"I'm not sure how safe they are and I don't think I'd feel particularly safe on one of them."
The conversation around e-scooters and how safe they are has been a hot one recently, following a series of accidents across the region.
The recent tragic death of Shakur Pinnock following a crash while riding his scooter has brought the issues of how safe the scooters are and how fast they go into sharp focus.
There have also been five reports of serious injuries involving rented scooters, which are banned from pavements and are intended for use in cycle lanes and roads, but are not allowed on routes with a speed limit of above 30mph.
West Bromwich is one of a number of towns within the West Midlands that is taking part in a trial by the West Midlands Combined Authority where people can rent e-scooters to travel around the town centre.
The e-scooters, operated by Swedish company Voi, cost £1 to unlock and a further 20p for each minute of usage.
People visiting West Bromwich town centre have differing views on the safety of the scooters and their benefit to the town's economy.
Paul Collins from Bearwood said he didn't think the scooters should be on the roads unless work was done to make them safer.
The 58-year-old said: "At the moment, I don't think they should on the roads as I don't think they're safe, which the death the other week has sadly proved to me.
"What they need to do is ensure people using the scooters are properly insured and people are licensed before they hire them.
"People should also be wearing helmets and the privately-owned ones shouldn't be anywhere near a public road."
Mr Collins' view wasn't entirely shared by Marcus Smethurst from Blackheath, as while the 23-year-old agreed about the correct legislation, he said he saw the scooters as a cheap way to get around.
He said: "It's hard to get around if you don't live somewhere with good transport links and you don't have a car, so it would be a lot easier for me to use one of the scooters to travel here.
"What I would like to see is scooter lanes, similar to cycle lanes, and more regulation over how fast you can go on them as some of them reach 30 miles per hour and that's dangerous.
"Helmets should also be provided and awareness raised about how to ride them safely, but I can definitely see the benefits for the town's economy and I would ride one myself."
Teresa Bayliss from Oldbury said she was worried about the younger generation, with the 47-year-old saying there needed to be more education about riding them safely.
She said: "I think there needs to be a limit on speed and younger people need to be given lessons and education on how to ride the scooters as they could get hurt or worse.
"The scooters will be good in a way because they carry less pollution than a car, but people just need to be careful of what they're doing."
Friends Anais Dhanda and Iqra Aziz said they thought the scooters were good for the community, so long as safety equipment was provided.
The 18-year-old Anais said: "It's good for the community and younger people, because it's hard for us to travel around and it's quicker than getting a bus or a train.
"People should ensure they wear helmets, to keep themselves safe, and they should be provided with the scooters."
The 17-year-old Iqra said: "I think they're safe to an extent, although it depends on the person riding it as they need to be careful, or they'll cause an accident.
"It's good to see it in West Bromwich as summer's coming and there's going to be a lot of young people out, so it'll save them money on transport."
Rebecca Richards was out shopping with her daughters Amber, Ava and Harley and the 32-year-old said she wasn't sure what benefit they would bring to the town.
She said: "I think they're too quick and a bit dangerous to be riding around town as people don't watch where they're going.
"They should come with insurance and people should also be wearing every type of pad for elbows and knees, as well as a helmet.
"If I'm honest, I don't see what benefit they bring financially as they're only used by single people, not families, so I can't see what good they can do."
Shakur Pinnock was just 20 when he died from an accident on his privately-owned scooter in Wolverhampton. His mother Celine Fraser-Pinnock has called for the wearing of helmets to be made mandatory.
Lobby groups have also raised concerns about the safety of scooters, especially those that can be rented by inexperienced riders.
Sarah Gayton, street access campaigns coordinator for the National Federation of the Blind of the UK, has asked anyone thinking of riding or buying one "to think again” after incidents involving private and rented e-scooters.
