Targeted police patrols stepped up in Northampton to crack down on rogue scooter riders

Officer spot checks on riders could result in penalty notices or points on driving licences
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Northamptonshire Police are now being encouraged to carry out regular spot checks on illegal scooter riders and report back to Voi to get them banned.

This means officers can now use Voi’s e-form to notify the company of scooter misuse and block users who are repeatedly riding on pavements, riding with two people on a scooter, unlocking a scooter for someone else and riding e-scooters while intoxicated.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Riding on pavements or while over the limit could result in a PCN or penalty points on their driving licence, as well as removal from the service.

E-scooters are being left parked in the middle of the pavements - here they are near All Saints Church.E-scooters are being left parked in the middle of the pavements - here they are near All Saints Church.
E-scooters are being left parked in the middle of the pavements - here they are near All Saints Church.

A spokeswoman for Voi said the police patrols are being stepped up 'immediatley' in Northampton whereas in Birmingham they are paying for police support.

“Following discussions with Transport for the West Midlands and the West Midlands Combined Authority, we are introducing some changes to the service to intensify our existing procedures to identify and tackle misuse. These police patrols form part of those measures.

"We are passionate about shaping cities for people, reducing pollution and breaking traffic gridlock across Europe and now in the UK but we can only do this if people treat this new form of transport with care and responsibility.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It comes as Voi and Northamptonshire County Council have confirmed to the Chronicle & Echo that there were no plans to halt the e-scooter services in Northampton after an outpouring of complaints over safety.

The Chronicle & Echo has featured the debate over Voi e-scooters on its front page as part of its latest edition of the newspaper.The Chronicle & Echo has featured the debate over Voi e-scooters on its front page as part of its latest edition of the newspaper.
The Chronicle & Echo has featured the debate over Voi e-scooters on its front page as part of its latest edition of the newspaper.

Just three days ago Voi said they would 'beef up' their 'ambassadors' in the town from six to 16 in the coming weeks to help new learners ride safely.

Three hundred e-scooters, which are paid for by the minute via an app, were launched on September 3 at places such as the train station, bus station and the university campus, in bid to encourage bus, taxi or car users to jump on a scooter instead.

The scooters have an area of the town where they are allowed to be taken to, which has been worked out by Voi and the county council and includes the town centre and stretches to as far as Moulton Park.

The vehicles must then be parked in public areas where the next users can locate the scooter using the Voi app but groups like the National Federation for the Blind have said they are a trip hazard.