Council must act on scooter menace

I write regarding the e-scooters plaguing Bath having been approached by several irate residents who have asked me to take up the issue publicly.

No-one can have failed to have spotted these scooters scattered on pavements across the city, blocking the path of less mobile residents and the sightline of car drivers at intersections.

Recently groups of scooters have appeared outside pubs and schools, particularly on the Lansdown Road. Is this really the best place for them to seek customers?

Let’s face it: they are not, in the vast majority of cases, being used as substitutes for car journeys around the city.

They are mostly used for fun by students and others, some of whom appear to have no regard for the rules of the road or pedestrian safety.

Many clearly do not care where they dump the scooters when finished. I was particularly shocked by a young couple on one scooter hurtling down Cavendish Road the other weekend weaving in and out of traffic.

The ‘passenger’ looked terrified. Who, if anyone, is monitoring the use of these vehicles during this official trial?

When is the Council going properly to address these issues? It seems that residents’ concerns are ignored or simply dismissed as stick-in-the-mud overreaction.

Many people are frankly fed up and want to see much more concrete proposals from the Council.

Other cities and councils across the country are cracking down on what is regularly described as a “scooter menace”.

When is B&NES going to act, end this seemingly never-ending trial and share the results openly with us all?

Justin Draeger Prospective Lansdown Conservative ward candidate