‘Safety, parking and policing all need attention’
Rows of neatly-lined up e-scooters from hire firm Dott, on the pavement at the junction of Wine Street and High Street in Bristol city centre, April 2026(Image: Bristol Post)
Bristol Post readers have been having their say on the major expansion of Bristol’s e-scooter and e-bike scheme. Responses have centred on concerns around safety, parking, policing and who stands to benefit. Some readers feel the proposals go too far without stricter regulations in place, while others have raised questions about insurance cover and the necessity for proper training. Here is a selection of what people had to say.
The company operating the e-scooter and e-bike hire scheme across the West of England has launched a fresh campaign aimed at encouraging greater uptake amongst residents.
Despite Bristol’s e-scooter trial already being regarded as one of the largest of its kind in Europe, the operator behind the initiative has rolled out new promotional offers and is hosting an open day where first-time riders can try one out for themselves.
The campaign has received the backing of metro mayor Helen Godwin, who has championed the scheme, extended it to new areas and invested in creating dozens more designated parking bays over the past year or so.
Already in 2025, the rollout of the e-scooter scheme into areas beyond Bristol, including Yate and Thornbury, has been extended through to September. Meanwhile, new dedicated parking areas, marked out within spaces previously used for on-street car parking, have begun appearing across parts of the city. People are more inclined to use e-scooters and e-bikes during the longer days and warmer weather of summer, prompting French micromobility company Dott, which operates the scooter scheme across Bristol and Bath, to launch a campaign aimed at attracting more users throughout May.
One reader, Dbanderson comments: “Transport for the poor.”
Shakspear replies: “You say transport for the poor; you mean illegal transport for the masses: no helmet, no tax. Is there any insurance (I think not)? We, the responsible road users, are fed up with these largely unqualified people who just flaunt all road laws and also put these scooters anywhere when they are finished with them. You need a licence to drive on the road.”
Othermeinnit answers: “Scooter riders have 3rd party insurance through the rental agreement as they are considered motor vehicles.
Xercesblue12 adds: “Expanding e-scooter and e-bike use needs to be accompanied by rigorous training and testing to ensure these riders are proficient in their use. Illegal use of e-scooters and e-bikes on roads needs to be effectively policed and clamped down on. Despite the metro-mayor’s reported increase in designated parking spaces, scooters and bikes are still being randomly dumped in inappropriate places. These powers appear to be available in the government’s devolution, planning, and infrastructure legislation, but democracy is not facilitated by creating regional gaulieters who issue orders. MCAs should limit themselves to a regional focus on solving problems with the consent of lower-tier elected bodies.”
Ron Young writes: “This two-wheeled litter clogs the pavements already, and the powers that be want to expand the clutter? There should be no expansion of the scheme until proper parking facilities are provided, which don’t hamper pedestrians.”
TalbotHill says: “It’s all very well praising this expansion of the scheme, but who is policing the ‘two-up’ riders that weave in and out of the traffic and blatantly ignore traffic lights, especially the ones on pedestrian crossings?”
Ceebee55 writes: “The rows of the blessed things lined up in Wine St. say it all. How can a blind person navigate through this? And that’s when they have been purposely lined up, not the usual mess they are left in. Ban them not expand.”
Adbris says: “Bristol claims to be an age-friendly city, but it is not. This does not provide a solution for very young,old or those unable to ride these scooters for a multitude of reasons. It is aimed mostly at a young demographic and especially the transient population of 68,000+ students. Pavements are for pedestrians who seem to be at the bottom of the food chain for transport, and a viable public transport is sadly lacking. Pavements blocked by poorly parked scooters are a continual issue despite parking bays and narrow pavements become clogged. Scooters are not an age-friendly transport option.”
While over on our Facebook page, Anne D comments: “We have a few parked at the end of my road. I think it’s odd when most cyclists around here cycle on the pavement and expect ME to move. Hello? I am on the pavement!”
Rant with Jeff adds: “So my wife was recently in Southmead Hospital, and to visit daily, I drove past the old zoo to the downs and onto the hospital. In that section of road, I counted approx 130 e-scooters, and they are there every day. I also counted on the average day in that section between 1 and 2 of them being used… why so many? Just sat doing nothing?”
Steven S writes: “They should crack down on the misuse of them, not put more on the streets, especially those that use the pavement and have two people on them, so dangerous.”
Fiona T D says: “There must have been at least 20 parked up for rent by my place at the other day, two of them left in the road, one left in the park.”
Maggie B-W adds: “They never think things through. Disabled, blind, and elderly people are going to struggle because of the scooters and bikes being abandoned on the pavement.”
Are you happy that the expansion is going ahead? Comment below or HERE to have your say.