Abandoned e-scooters spark safety concerns

Voi e-scooters are available for rent in Cheltenham as part of an ongoing trial scheme

Abandoned electric scooters are becoming a nuisance for pedestrians, wheelchair users and people with pushchairs, it has been claimed.

Trip hazard concerns and reports of the Voi scooters being dumped across Cheltenham were raised at a recent Gloucestershire County Council meeting.

Town resident Ian Weaving said there are a shortage of "clearly marked" parking bays, and the operating company should be more responsible for public safety.

A Voi spokesperson said inconsiderate parking is "never acceptable", and said the company takes action against those who fail to comply, including issuing fines or bans.

The scooters are available for rent in Cheltenham as part of an ongoing trial scheme.

The initiative aims to encourage more active transport and reduce the number of cars on the road.

There have been calls for more designated parking zones for the e-scooters

Under the hiring rules, users are required to return the scooters to designated bays when they have finished using them.

Voi said it conducts street patrols alongside a 'report a scooter' feature in the app to identify abandoned or improperly parked scooters.

But Mr Weaving said in one case, an e-scooter was left on Southgate Drive for more than two weeks without being moved or collected.

"These scooters are often left on pavements, causing obstructions for pedestrians, wheelchair users and those with pushchairs," he said.

"There appear to be no clearly-marked bays for parking after use, and the scheme seems to rely entirely on residents to report misplaced or abandoned scooters."

The scooters are part of an ongoing trial to get more cars off the road

"Inconsiderate parking is never acceptable," a Voi spokesperson said.

"Whilst the vast majority of our e-scooter and e-bike riders in Cheltenham follow the rules, we take action against those who don't - including fines and potential bans.

"Thousands of people choose e-scooters and e-bikes every day to get to work and education, and we want our service to work for everyone.

"We're grateful the resident raised the issue and always appreciate community feedback regarding our scheme in Cheltenham."