Hospital sees 150 e-bike injuries in six months as surgeons warn of ‘massive burden’
E-bike regulation urged as severe injuries flood London hospitals
- Surgeons at the Royal London Hospital have warned that e-bike injuries are placing a "massive burden" on hospitals, with patients sustaining severe trauma.
- The hospital's orthopaedics trauma ward recorded 150 e-bike related cases in the last six months, including a six-year-old girl who suffered multiple fractures.
- Medical staff note that injuries from e-bikes are often more severe than those from traditional bicycles due to the higher speeds involved and the greater weight of the electric models.
- Both surgeons and London's walking and cycling commissioner, Will Norman, are advocating for improved e-bike regulation, with potential new powers for cities outlined in the English Devolution Bill.
- Conversely, Duncan Dollimore from Cycling UK argues against stricter regulation, emphasising that the health benefits of cycling, including on e-bikes, far outweigh the associated risks.