Crackdown on e-scooter riders who flout rules

The company taking over Liverpool's e-scooter rental contract has promised tough measures against riders who flout the rules.

Bolt, which will replace Swedish company Voi, is set to introduce 2,000 e-scooters and 150 e-bikes across the city, expanding to the Garston and Speke areas of the city for the first time.

E-scooters were first introduced as part of a Department for Transport pilot, but there have been complaints about vehicles causing hazards on pavements as well as irresponsible use on the roads.

Liverpool councillor Dan Barrington said there were clear rules for use and the authority was working closely with Bolt to ensure vehicles were parked correctly.

"There are rules that you're supposed to follow," he told BBC Radio Merseyside, "but as with everything, there will be some people that may choose not take as much notice of that".

He said the new app included a feature which required users to take a picture to confirm the vehicle was correctly parked.

"We need to try and educate people as much as possible on road safety," he said.

Georgia Heathman from Bolt said the vehicles must be parked in specific, identified parking bays and the company could act on repeated misuse.

"If we continue to see repetition in poor customer behaviour, we can take measures in terms of suspending access," she said.

"We want to make sure that the city is protected for both our customers but also all road users, pedestrians too."

Barrington said the move was part of plans to make the city greener and cleaner.

"We want to reduce the amount of car journeys that are being made. So, giving people those different options is really important," he said.

"We want to give people a whole range of options on how to travel, whether that's through public transport or the e-scooters or the e-bikes."

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