'Dumped' electric scooters in Gloucestershire are causing hazard concerns
The Mayor of Cheltenham says it poses an obstruction hazard to people with visual impairments, wheelchairs and prams
The mayor of Cheltenham is concerned over the hazards caused by “dumped” electric scooters.
There have been reports of Voi e-scooters being left in areas of the spa town causing a trip hazard for people with visual impairments.
Councillor David Willingham (LD, St Mark’s and St Peter’s) raised concerns about the impact the ongoing e-scooter trial is having at a Gloucestershire County Council meeting this week.
He said dumped scooters pose an obstruction hazard for those with prams or wheelchairs.
Cllr Willingham told the environment scrutiny committee meeting on July 8 that the problem “seems to be getting worse” with e-scooters dumped in parks.
And when people raise concerns via Voi’s website they do not get a response. Councillor Willingham, who is currently Cheltenham’s first citizen, said: “I’ve been speaking to people who are mobility visually impaired and Voi e-scooters are an immense hazard when they are dumped.”
He told the environment scrutiny committee on July 8 that they are a trip and obstruction hazard and the bays used to be painted and if they weren’t left in there. “With Voi it just seems they dump it anywhere,” said Cllr Willingham.
“You get no feedback if you report it on the website; it just goes into a black hole. You get nothing if you report it on the website. It’s quite frequent to see kids who must have borrowed.
“We are responsible for the trial. I’m really concerned Voi are just not delivering good road safety. We are failing some of the most vulnerable people.
He said the numberplates on them are almost impossible to see because they are so small to see. “They get dumped in parks. “There is a whole issue with Voi. It seems to be getting worse.”
Voi say they have seen a large increase in users since they took over the services.
And while most riders are responsible when using and parking they encourage anyone who spot badly parked e-scooters to report it to them.
“Since beginning operations in Cheltenham and Gloucester, we’re proud to have delivered over 500,000 safe rides, replacing over 200,000 car trips and reducing almost 100 tonnes of CO2e,” a Voi spokesperson said.
“We’ve also seen a significant increase in riders, growing 40% year on year since we took over in 2023. The vast majority of our riders are responsible while using and parking our vehicles.
“We urge anyone who spots a poorly parked Voi e-scooter to report it to us via report.voi.com, [email protected] or 07476 550 190 for swift action.
“We collaborate with a wide range of partners, including the RNIB and Guide Dogs, to ensure micromobility is inclusive for everyone.
“We’d welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can further strengthen the scheme and improve parking with Councillor Dr David Willingham.”
The e-scooter trial in Gloucestershire began in August 2020. It has since been extended and is now managed by Voi Technology Ltd.
The e-scooters are available for hire within designated areas of the two towns, and users can locate and rent them through the Voi app.