E-SCOOTERS will be banned from a university in the new year after a rider died near its campus.

The University of Sussex said it has seen an increase in the number of e-scooters on its Falmer campus and a rise in the number of “near-accidents and more serious incidents”.

The ban will include riding and keeping e-scooters on campus, including in university accommodation.

The Argus: An e-scooter rider died after crashing into a mental fence on a footpath at Falmer railway station last year.An e-scooter rider died after crashing into a mental fence on a footpath at Falmer railway station last year.

Students have been told all e-scooters must be taken home at the end of term, and to ride normal scooters or to cycle as an alternative.

The university says the ban is part of its “duty of care” to students after an e-scooter rider died after crashing into a metal fence on a footpath at Falmer railway station last year.

A spokesman said: “In the last term, we have seen an increasing number of e-scooters on campus. They're considered a fun and environmentally friendly way of moving around, and very useful when you're rushing from one class or meeting to another in a different building.

“Estates and facilities staff have also found e-scooters in university accommodation, breaching the housing tenancy agreement.

“We’re particularly concerned that e-scooters are being stored in corridors and hallways, blocking escape routes in case of an emergency evacuation; and that they're left unattended while charging, becoming a fire hazard due to their lithium-ion batteries.

“The university has a duty of care to everyone in our community. From 1 January, any e-scooters found on campus and university buildings (both on and off-campus) will be removed.”

Private e-scooters are banned from public roads, cycle lanes and pavements in the UK.

The same rules that apply to other motor vehicles, also apply to e-scooters, meaning riders must have a driver’s licence and insurance.

It is not currently possible to get appropriate insurance for privately owned e-scooters, meaning it is illegal to use them in public spaces.

Riders can face fines of up to £300 for not complying with the rules and can receive penalty points on their licence.

Dozens of legalised e-scooter rental schemes have been launched in cities across the country since July 2020 as part of government trials, despite long-running safety concerns about the contraptions.

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