Are the wheels coming off the e-scooter trial?
New e-scooters which were launched as a trial in Bath and Bristol last month have stirred up debate on social media.
The eco-friendly mode of transport, provided by Voi Technologies, has been touted by West of England council chiefs as a way of cutting carbon emissions.
Bath residents say they have spotted the nifty machines abandoned around the city, with one passer-by claiming, “the mess has started”.
By law, scooter riders must have a provisional driving licence, but some Twitter users questioned the safety of the scheme for users and pedestrians.
A thread of replies followed this tweet with one resident noting that, unlike cars, the scooters lack a visible registration number, so if you are knocked down, you cannot identify the machine’s rider.
Another resident spotted one of the machines on the pavement outside a GPS’ surgery.
Although the trial scooters, which can reach a maximum speed of 15.5mph, are allowed on roads and cycle lanes, they are banned from pavements.
Despite this, some residents claimed to have seen them being ridden by more than one person, and on the pavement.
In the public Facebook group, “Born & Bred or Live in the City of Bath”, a post from Bob Spink sparked debate on Thursday night (October 29).
“A couple of abandoned e-scooters in Pulteney Road, or maybe they’re just parked up for the night?” he wrote.
In reply, Pete Stone questioned whether - during the ongoing pandemic - the machines were cleaned after each use.
Across social media, confusion was directed at Bath and North East Somerset Council and Andrew Lea, a Bath resident, said: “I really think these have been forced on us by WECA without any thought with regards safety of both riders and the general public. Yesterday I saw three kids on one.”
Have you seen or tried the new e-scooters? If so, get in touch at imogen.mcguckin@reachplc.com.