The father of a toddler who lost a finger after getting it caught in an abandoned rental bike has called for stricter rules on where customers can leave them.
The man’s one-year-old son Leopoldo had his right index finger amputated after getting it trapped in the wheel of an electric bike from the transport company Tier that had been dumped in Westminster. The child, who had briefly been let out of his pram, was found with his finger caught in the bike’s chain. His parents said he accidentally put pressure on the bike’s pedal, crushing his finger.
His father Ignacio, 33, who did not reveal his second name, told the Telegraph: “We have contacted the mayor of London and informed him of the awful event and we hope he tackles the ... situation of these bikes on the pavements, which are causing a menace to Londoners. We want action, so nobody goes through what we have had to.”
Sadiq Khan’s office said it had been pushing the government to give it more control to improve safety. It said it does not currently have the power to regulate dockless rental bikes.
Ignacio also called for more designated parking spots.“This is ultimately the responsibility of Tier,” he said. “It is absolutely terrible what has happened to our family and the message we are trying to get out there is ‘guys, it shouldn’t be like this’. Unfortunately, my son has lost his finger, and it is heartbreaking to see him like that. Due to the carelessness of Tier, his life will be changed for ever, physically and emotionally.”
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Tier’s insurers said no fault was found with the bike, and that it had never received a report of a similar incident.
However, Nickie Aiken, the Conservative MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, said she receives regular emails from residents about rental bikes littering pavements. “I had a 16-year-old visually impaired boy write to me last week and tell me how [it] is one of the biggest dangers and really affects his ... freedom. They are accidents waiting to happen, and clearly we have now had a very serious accident.”
Tier said it “prides itself on providing a valuable service in a safe and responsible way”, adding: “The team was devastated to learn of the tragic incident and has been in contact with the parents during this difficult period. The case remains subject to an ongoing process with our insurer, who are working with us to resolve the situation quickly and fairly.
“On the issue of parking e-bikes in Westminster, last week we signed a contract with the council which sees Tier and other operators investing in parking bays around central London.”
