Northampton: E-scooters are 'well received' by users, say police

North Northamptonshire Council said about a third of people use an e-scooter for their daily commute

A police force said an e-scooter rental scheme has been "well-received" although it has a system to report inappropriate use to the rental company.

The e-scooters were launched in Northampton in September 2020 and in the North Northamptonshire area in March 2021.

Rental company Voi said there had been more than three millions journeys registered in the county.

Matt O’Connell, from Northamptonshire Police, said the force had regular meetings with Voi to "identify any issues that need addressing".

Mr McConnell, the Safer Roads Team manager at the force, said it had "been able to create a reporting mechanism which allows us to notify [Voi] of any riders we stop for inappropriate riding".

He added: "The scooters have been well-received by many in the county who use them."

The e-scooter rental scheme in Northampton launched in September 2020

Rental e-scooters in the UK have maximum limits of 15.5mph (24.9km/h).

Some campaigners have said e-scooters pose a risk to those with disabilities, especially the visually impaired.

Research has also found e-scooter riders who were involved in accidents were more likely to sustain more serious injuries than cyclists.

Graham Lawman, from North Northamptonshire Council, said more than a third of riders were using the e-scooters "as part of their daily commute".

He said there had been collaboration with Voi over "improved safety and reporting of misuse".

Voi said using an e-scooter was "safe and affordable" and people in Northamptonshire were using them "without causing congestion or pollution".