A reader has voiced her views about e-scooters and said they should not be used as a mode of transport in the city. Mary Thomas has written in to the Bristol Post to complain about the potential dangers of e-scooters and how she feels they do not work well in Bristol City. Read it below.
She shared her opinion that the "streets are too narrow and overcrowded with parked vehicles", particularly when compared to other cities where e-scooters are popular. She is concerned that "too many accidents and deaths have already been caused by e-scooters".
Everyday the Bristol Post newspaper publishes your letters and emails - below is a recent example. If you want to write in, please keep letters as short as possible and include your full name, address and telephone number. Letters for publication should include a name and address. If you wish to remain anonymous, state your reason.
Email: epletters@bepp.co.uk You can also log in and share your views in the comments section.
Read more: Investigation as THREE ride on e-scooter in Bristol city centre
The full letter read: "How many times have I written about the danger of e-scooters? Also about Bristol not being built like Holland, which is flat? No way will Bristol be safe for them. The streets are too narrow and overcrowded with parked vehicles.
"Holland has wide streets. Amsterdam and Bristol are not comparable! Have these people who write these letters been to Holland? Anyone with common sense will agree.
"There are many people who need to go to work in a car, van or lorry as they carry equipment for their work. It would be impossible to go on an e-scooter.
"Doctors need their cars as they keep drugs in the boot of their cars for patients. No way could any of these people use an e-scooter. Neither could disabled people use them.
"Too many accidents and deaths have already been caused by e-scooters. These are usually caused by irresponsible people riding them.
"They think they own the roads and do not have a licence and have no road sense. They should have to pass a test."
Mary Thomas
E-scooters 'are five times safer than bikes'
On the contrary, Bristol Live recently published an article that revealed results of a major new study suggesting that 'riding an e-scooter is five times safer than riding a bicycle, nine times safer than riding a motorbike'.
The report gathered data from crashes, injuries, collisions and incidents involving e-scooters from 2020 and compares the nature of injury risk associated with e-scooter risks, compared with other modes of transport.
E-scooters remain illegal to ride on public land including roads and paths but the Government is considering a law change. The only e-scooters legal to ride in Bristol are the Voi scooters that are permitted as part of a trial in certain areas, with speed and age restrictions.
Figures from Avon and Somerset Police show that in 2020, just eight people were injured in collisions involving e-scooters. However, that rose to 96 last year.
Currently information on how many collisions involve rental e-scooters or private scooters is inconsistent. The information is usually recorded in a free text field on the accident report, and not all officers add the information.
In Avon and Somerset, at least seven e-scooters involved in crashes were privately-owned, while six were known to be part of rental schemes. A further 73 had no information recorded.
In a statement shared with Bristol Live in June, Matthew Pencharz, Voi’s Head of Public Policy for UK and Ireland, said: “When it comes to safety, shared e-scooter schemes are strictly regulated and riding a shared e-scooter is as safe as riding a bike. Voi’s top priority is the safety of its riders, other road users and pedestrians, particularly vulnerable ones.
"We continuously educate our riders to follow the rules of the road and ride safely. Voi, which is part of the highly-regulated government e-scooters trials, works closely with its city partners to ensure this sustainable mode of transport is introduced safely and responsibly."
