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New bays to prevent e-scooters being 'dumped'

Daisy BodkinGloucestershire
BBC Three red electric scooters parked inside a white parking bay space on the pavement which has the words 'E-SCOOTER' painted by it. BBC
The new bays are being painted across Cheltenham and Gloucester.

New designated parking bays are being introduced after residents complained about e-scooters being abandoned in pedestrianised areas.

Jackie Morris, from Churchdown in Gloucester, uses a mobility scooter and said she often finds e‑scooters "dumped on the pavement" and "left there for days" near her home, making it harder for her to move around safely.

Voi, the company operating the rental scooters, is now creating 100 painted parking bays across Cheltenham and Gloucester in an effort to reduce poor parking, prioritising the busiest areas.

Harry Foskin, senior public policy manager at Voi, said the new bays will make parking "clearer for riders and members of the community".

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An older lady with grey hair sat in a black mobility scooter. She's wearing a black mountain warehouse coat. She's sat on a high street with shops behind her.
Jackie Morris said badly-parked e-scooters makes it harder for her to get around

Morris said that when pavements are blocked by the scooters it forces her into the road where she gets "beeped at by cars".

She added the situation feels dangerous and added that she would "rather them [scooters] not be here".

Kerry Hughes, from Gloucester, said she discovered a Voi scooter directly behind her car's back tyre as she was about to drive away. She said she "luckily" spotted it in time.

"They're really heavy to move when they've got no charge… a lot of people riding them are kids and they just dump them anywhere," she added.

A lady with light brown hair and a piercing below her bottom lip. She's wearing a black leather jacket with a black top underneath. She's stood on a high street with shops and people walking behind her.
Kerry Hughes said people "dump" e-scooters anywhere

Voi scooters were introduced to Gloucestershire in 2023 and continue to operate as part of an ongoing Department for Transport trial.

Foskin said the new bays are part of those trials, adding that Voi is "keen to try new things and see what works and what doesn't".

Voi currently has an enforcement procedure in place for riders who park e-scooters irresponsibly, which can lead to fines or bans.

According to Foskin, more than 40,000 people have taken a ride in either Cheltenham or Gloucester since Voi was launched in the area.

"I think that just proves the popularity of the scheme… hopefully it'll be here to stay long into the future," he added.

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