Call for e-scooters to park in road to stop pavement blocking

E-scooters are used across Bristol as part of a trial scheme with Voi.

Parking spaces in Bristol usually reserved for cars could be used by electric scooters following a rise in complaints over where some are being left.

The idea is being supported by a charity for blind and visually impaired people who say the scooters can be a dangerous hazard if not used or parked properly.

Since the start of a trial scheme of electric scooters in Bristol, which is being run by Voi, there have been complaints of pavement blocking.

E-scooters scattered around Bristol's pavements has become a problem in recent months. Credit: ITV News West Country

New Green Party councillor Katy Grant wants to see a trial of the parking bays in her Clifton ward.

"The critical thing is to make pavement use easier for people and try to minimise the nuisance they are causing for people who will never use them," she said. "The idea is put these motorised vehicles onto the road for parking as they are on the road for use."

Voi has been discussing the idea with Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) which has introduced hundreds of e-scooters across Bristol, Bath and South Gloucestershire.

Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said. “They’re not docking stations for charging, but just to help make sure that when people drop their scooters off they are all tidy.

“When the teams from Voi go out and replace the batteries overnight, you can see they line them up nice and tidily.

“But sometimes the situation can end up a bit more chaotic, so certainly we’d like some…fenced-off spacing for scooters.” 

E-scooters have become part of life in Bristol, with many people using them to get around the city. Credit: ITV News West Country

Mr Rees said Bristol City Council had discussed the matter with Voi.

“It’s probably taking a car parking space away from here and there,” he added, noting each parking space lost would mean lost revenue for the city.

A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “We are aware that there have been problems caused by large numbers of scooters being parked on pavements and together we are continuing to explore a range of different options to help manage this issue, including using car parking spaces rather than pavements."

The West of England Combined Authority is trialling the use of hundreds of e-scooters Credit: ITV News West Country

The on-road parking idea has won support from Guide Dogs for the blind and visually impaired.

Operations Manager Charlotte Stephens says the charity believes review of safety measures to better protect those with disabilities is needed, claiming the scooters' arrival hasn't been properly thought through.

"E-scooters are being parked everywhere, they're a massive trip hazard" she added. "We are all for parking bays, but we still have concerns around the health and safety aspect of e-scooters in general with them being silent, that's a big issue and also the illegal use of them, being driven on the pavements."

Guide Dogs charity say e-scooters can be a dangerous hazard for those with visual impairments Credit: ITV News West Country

Voi told ITV News: "We’re delighted to be introducing more e-scooter parking infrastructure in the region over the last few weeks as part of our ongoing commitment to promote responsible parking, a key focus for Voi and its local partners.

"The location of parking racks and on-street bays are carefully selected to avoid clutter and nuisance to other pedestrians, and Voi continues to work closely with the local councils to ensure these and upcoming installations are placed in the best and safest locations for pedestrians and other road users.

"As the rollout programme continues more parking measures will be trialled, including extra on-street parking bays in Bristol, so riders should keep an eye out for updates and in-app announcements.”