COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

The electric scooters were available to rent but misuse has seen the trial paused



A trial which saw e-scooters available to use in Coventry city centre has been halted less than a week after it begun.

The electric vehicles could be hired from last Thursday (September 10) and were supposed to be available for a 12 month test run.

But the scheme has seen the brakes slammed on after just six days over misuse of the scooters.

Coventry City Council pulled the plug today (September 14) saying concerns had been raised that scooters were being used on pavements.

Users also reportedly took the scooters into pedestrianised areas of the city centre.

A spokesman for Coventry City Council said: "The trial has been introduced to identify the safest way that e-scooters can be used going forward so it’s right to pause the scheme if concerns are being raised.

“The initial take-up has been encouraging but we need to ensure that the safety of all people using the city centre is protected and that the e-scooters are used in the proper way, hence our decision to pause the pilot until systems are improved."

The city council said around 5,000 rides had been access since the scheme launched last week. The scooters were available to unlock for £1 and cost 20p per minute to ride.

A spokesperson for Voi, the firm behind the e-scooters, said “While we regret the pause to our service, we reiterate our desire and willingness to work with all local stakeholders to deliver a safe and successful trial that meets the council's objectives and confirms micromobility as a sustainable, safe and attractive mode for Coventry's citizens.

“We look forward to resuming the service with enhanced measures in place to address the early observations from the trial”.

Dossier of 'reckless and dangerous' e-scooter riding in Coventry handed to government



Trials of e-scooters including the suspended scheme in Coventry should be halted with immediate effect because of “reckless and dangerous” riding, a charity has said.

A dossier based on observations in the city and three other places in England has been presented to the Government by the National Federation of the Blind of the UK (NFBU).

Hazardous and dangerous conditions for pedestrians were found in Coventry when the charity visited and collected evidence including video footage of e-scooter misuse.

Examples include e-scooters being ridden along pavements at speed, going straight towards pedestrians and being used by two people at once.

Dozens of problems across the locations, also including Birmingham, Milton Keynes and Northampton, are contained in the submission to the Department for Transport.

Sarah Gayton, Shared Space Co-ordinator for the NFBUK, said: “I am at a loss to why more rentable e-scooters are being allowed to launch, when there are still serious safety concerns being raised over existing schemes.

"It is absolute reckless what is happening in Northampton and we are just so grateful to Coventry City Council for halting the trials in Coventry as quickly as they did.

"It is clear as day is day and night is night these schemes are simply not fit for purpose.

"There is no way Coventry can re-start the trial, as it is clear that all pedestrians need to take priority and we are very grateful to Coventry’s councillors for taking this action to protect pedestrian safety.”

E-scooter bosses say they will return to Coventry - but not in the city centre

The firm behind the suspended e-scooter trial says it will return to Coventry - but not the city centre.

The trial in Coventry, which was being run by Swedish company Voi alongside Coventry City Council, was suspended after just five days in September following reports of riders weaving in and out of traffic and using pavements and other pedestrianised areas in the city centre.

Voi said the orange e-scooters - which can travel at a max speed of 15.5mph - were “safe, convenient and environmentally friendly” but “a few anti-social people” were “deliberately and persistently breaking the rules”.

Trials continue in a number of UK cities, including Birmingham.

A spokesman for Voi confirmed to CoventryLive that the company had decided not to go back into Coventry city centre due to the anti-social behaviour issues.

But it has also said it remains committed to returning to the wider city.

The Voi spokesman stopped short of saying which part of Coventry the company would return to but a representative of the company said in a BBC Midlands Today interview last week that it planned to resume its Coventry trial in the area around the University of Warwick.

Parents warned E-Scooter gifts could land them in trouble with the law this Christmas

Parents are being urged not to buy e-scooters as Christmas presents - or risk getting in trouble with the police.

Warwickshire Police has said that it is currently against the law to ride a privately owned e-scooter in any public place in the UK.

The force has appealed to people not to buy them and ride them on public roads as they have powers to seize e-scooters and prosecute riders.

Sergeant Shaun Bridle said “We understand that buying an e-scooter can be tempting, especially as you can get them from many popular retailers. However the law is clear.

"You can buy one but it is illegal to use a privately owned e-scooter in any public space including roads, pavements, parks, town centres or canal towpaths for example.

"The only place a privately owned e-scooter can be used is on private land.”

E-scooters are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs) so they are treated as motor vehicles and subject to the same legal requirements such as MOT, licensing, tax and insurance.

As e-scooters do not have number plates, signalling ability and do not always have visible rear lights, they cannot be used legally on the roads.

Councillor Andy Crump, Warwickshire County Council 's cabinet member for fire and rescue and community safety, echoed the police's message, saying: “We understand the public’s support for environmentally friendly modes of transport and want to work with our local communities to make sure the roads are safe for everyone.

"However, we are asking the public not to rush in to buying an e-scooter but to await the results of the UK trial.”

“In the meantime please do not ride an e-scooter in a public place”