Bristol campaigners call e-scooters a "nightmare" for blind people
The West of England Sight Loss Council are calling for authorities to implement tighter regulation on e-bikes and scooters
Last updated 4th Sep 2025
Campaigners from the West of England Sight Loss Council have called Bristol's e-bikes and e-scooters a "nightmare" for blind people.
E-vehicles ridden or parked on pavements are a hazard for partially sighted people and people with disabilities, who are then forced to go on the road.
The Council are calling for authorities to implement a number of changes, including tighter regulation, better policing, and an accessible way to report careless parking.
It's as a report by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) reveals e-vehicles are causing fear and anxiety for blind and partially sighted people.
"It's just another thing to have to navigate and it's frightening," said Anela Wood, from the West of England Sight Loss Council.
"I can trip over it, I can fall over it, graze my knees and bruise myself.
"I get shouted at by people to get out the way and I just feel there are so many things that could be done to make them a bit safer."
The vast majority (92%) of 1,197 blind or partially sighted people surveyed for the report said they have to walk into roads as pavements are obstructed by parked cars, bikes or e-scooters.
More than a third of respondents (34%) said they had collided with a street obstacle in the previous three months.
"They can be very dangerous," said Yahya Pandor, Engagement Manager for Gloucestershire and West of England Sight Loss Councils.
"Your cane doesn't always find them, if it does then you have to navigate around it which forces you onto the road.
"Even if you're not tripping over them, it can be confusing and disorientating.
"It can cause many people to stay inside because it's not worth the anxiety and potential injury."
Helen Godwin, the Mayor of the West of England, said:
“We know how handy e-bikes and e-scooters are for some people to get around our towns and cities, and that most people ride responsibly. The number of rides across our region so far shows that it’s an important part of our transport mix. But lots of people have valid concerns.
“Convenient travel for some people shouldn’t inconvenience others. Scoot Safe, which will roll out over the coming weeks, emphasises the need for responsible riding and parking to help people to keep themselves – and others – safe.
“Enhanced enforcement from Dott will mean people are kicked off the app when more than one person rides on an e-scooter, alongside new fines for poor parking, and easier ways for people to report issues. All of this will strike a better balance, with more marked parking zones for e-bikes and e-scooters making our pavements tidier for everyone, including Disabled people.”
Clare Moody, the Avon & Somerset Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC), said:
“E-scooters can be a convenient way to travel but must be used legally and responsibly. When they’re not, they cause real problems – they put pedestrians at risk, create hazards for people with mobility issues and families with young children, and even endanger the riders themselves.
“Remember: only Dott hire scooters are legal on our roads. If you see irresponsible use of hire scooters, report it to Dott, and information about illegal private e-scooters should be reported to the police or Crimestoppers.
“The Scoot Safe campaign is about making sure everyone can use our streets safely and making sure unsafe riding has consequences.”
The RNIB is calling on the Government to create "inclusive standards" for pavements "that can be robustly enforced", and urging local authorities to take action such as maintaining access to pavements during roadworks, better monitoring of food delivery courier cyclists, and improved regulation of rental e-scooter and e-bike schemes.
A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson said: "Safety is our top priority, and private e-scooters remain illegal on public roads.
"We've been clear that with any trial schemes, local authorities must make sure e-scooters don't obstruct others, particularly disabled people.
"To clamp down on reckless parking, we are bringing forward new powers to regulate e-scooters and e-bikes, letting local areas shape schemes to better meet their needs, whilst tackling badly parked cycles which are disruptive to many road users."
Tom Hunt, who chairs the Local Government Association's inclusive growth committee, said: "Councils take their responsibilities to ensure pathways and pavements are accessible for all very seriously.
"The inclusion in the Devolution Bill of further regulatory powers for local authorities to manage shared e-scooter and e-bike schemes will help to tackle inconsiderate parking of such vehicles.
"The Government must act on the use of an estimated one million privately-owned e-scooters, which remain illegal to use on our public roads and lack any of the safety restrictions of e-scooter hire schemes, and the increasing number of unlicensed and uninsured electric motorbikes being sold and used as e-bikes."
Latest DfT figures show 52 pedestrians were seriously injured in collisions with e-scooters in England in 2023.
Private e-scooters cannot legally be used in public areas in the UK, although they are a common sight in many urban areas.
Legal trials of rental e-scooters on roads have been ongoing in towns and cities across England since July 2020.