E-scooter scheme poses risk to life, warns tour guide
AMEMBER of the public could be killed in central Birmingham by an escooter, a leading city champion has warned.
Jonathan Berg runs the Positively Birmingham walking tours, but was horrified on Saturday when his young female assistant guide was “toppled like a tree from behind”.
Voi e-scooters were launched on the city’s streets last Thursday, but Mr Berg – a retired medical professor – fears the move has unleashed a shift in behaviour that could have fatal consequences.
Less than a week after the scheme’s regional launch was overseen by Transport for West Midlands, Coventry City Council put the brakes on its own trial scheme after concerns over safety. Birmingham’s own push to be ‘greener’ has already increased the number of cyclists whizzing through town in recent years – many of whom ignore the dismount sign between Centenary Square and Victoria Square, for example.
But on Saturday, Mr Berg’s assistant was knocked over by a scooter rider despite their being plenty of room in Centenary Square for social distancing.
He told the Post: “Luckily this scooter was not going fast. We had several near-misses from very fast machines - people are going to get killed if we do not police this urgently.
“The e-scooters have given a green light to everyone who wants to be reckless.
“The scooters only started on Thursday and, overall, seem like a great idea but they are not without risk.
“When we introduce them into the city, we need to be really careful that we police their introduction in a way that people understand how to use them in an appropriate way.”
Sarah Gayton, a shared space coordinator who campaigns for safer streets on behalf of the National Federation of the Blind of the UK, wanted them banned before they had hit the streets.
After almost being run over herself in Centenary Square on Saturday, she sent the Post the video evidence and said: “My own clip illustrates how very quickly safety of pedestrians is compromised.
“Even with all the space in the world, my safety was compromised. I was left shaken and shocked such a situation could arise. E-scooters, private or rented ones should not be allowed anywhere where there are pedestrians.”
Voi was awarded a sole operator contract after a tender process launched by TfWM (Transport for West Midlands, part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). Birmingham City Council referred us to TfWM and Voi for comment about Mr Berg’s claims and any knockon effect in Birmingham from the decision in Coventry.
Mr Berg tweeted to West Midlands Mayor Andy Street: “The Voi scooters were shooting all over the place doing much faster than 5mph and in pedestrian areas.
“This needs serious policing or people will get badly injured very soon.”
Responding to the incident involving Mr Berg’s assistant, the company said: “We launched last week and have had thousands of riders try out Voi scooters, without incident.
“Most people have been super careful in their use of Voi’s e-scooters and have been responsible in where they park and where they ride.
“We are working with the council and the police, where appropriate, to make sure that people understand where e-scooters should be ridden and parked, so that they don’t cause a hazard. “We want Birmingham’s residents and visitors to experience how e-scooters can improve and enhance their city and we will adjust elements of the trial and aspects of the technology, where required, to make that happen.”