Teenager hit by Croydon tram becomes fourth e-scooter rider to die in London this year

A teenager has become the fourth e-scooter rider to be killed in London this year after being hit by a tram, it emerged on Thursday.

The 19-year-old male suffered serious head injuries in a collision with a fast-moving Croydon tram while using an “uncontrolled” pedestrian crossing.

The Croydon tram network allows passengers to cross the tracks at various points, including at tram stops if they need to reach the opposite platform.

The teenager, who has not been named, was hit by a tram travelling between Ampere Way and Waddon Marsh tram stops.

Emergency medics, including London’s Air Ambulance, were dispatched to the scene of the incident, which happened around 3.40pm on August 22.

He was taken to a major trauma unit but died three days later. At the time of the incident, it was only known that an e-scooter rider had been taken to hospital with head injuries. His death was revealed on Thursday in a report by Transport for London commissioner Andy Byford.

Mr Byford, in a report to next week’s TfL board, said: “A tram collided with a person riding an e-scooter at an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing point between Ampere Way and the tram stops at Waddon Marsh.

“The tram driver applied the emergency brake but could not prevent the collision. Sadly, the e-scooter rider died in hospital a few days later.

“A full investigation is under way, and both the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and the Office of Rail and Road have been informed.”

Mr Byford said tram passengers who witnessed the incident had been offered support from the Sarah Hope Line, TfL’s incident support service.

Finn Brennan, London district organiser for Aslef, the union that represents tram drivers, said: "This is a dreadful accident that illustrates the stressful nature of the job tram drivers do. It is a tragedy for the family of friends of the man who died and deeply traumatic for the driver."

British Transport Police said: “The incident is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”

Ampere Way is close to the Valley Retail Park and IKEA’s croydon store. A second person was treated by medics and discharged at the scene.

The incident is the fourth time an e-scooter rider has been killed in the capital this year.

A 14-year-old girl died in a collision with a van in Newham in March. In July, Joshim Uddin, 32, was killed by a car driver in a “hit and run” collision in Tower Hamlets.

Last month a 53-year-old man died in collision with a car in Ferndale Road, Lambeth.

There were 10 e-scooter deaths across Great Britain last year, while the number of collisions involving e-scooters trebled compared.

There were 1,352 reported collisions involving the battery-powered devices in 2021, up from 460 in 2020, according to the Department for Transport.

E-scooters are meant to be limited to 15.5mph but some are illegally “adapted” to reach higher speeds. They are also illegal to use on public roads unless they are rented from a Government-approved trial scheme.