News / Voi
Footage of duo riding e-scooter along M32
Voi bosses say they’ve taken “necessary measures” to prevent the illegal riding of e-scooters along the M32.
It comes in the wake of footage published on Twitter on Sunday that shows two people on one of the motorised scooters travelling in the outside lane of the motorway in Bristol.
Police say they also received reports of a group of “six or seven” men riding e-scooters on the hard shoulder of the M32 at around 2.20pm on Sunday.
is needed now More than ever
Voi says the person filmed using one of its e-scooters has been identified and permanently blocked from using the rental service, which comes with strict restrictions on where and how they can be used.
https://twitter.com/MatBurnham/status/1439684244461301772
A Voi spokesperson said: “Voi’s number one priority is the safety of our riders, pedestrians, and other road users, and it’s saddening to see our service used in this manner.
“Riding on the motorway is illegal as e-scooters can only be ridden on cycle lanes and roads and, as a result, we identified and permanently blocked the user as well as working closely with the police on the matter. By acting in this manner, they tarnish the overwhelming majority of users who use the service in the right way.
“At Voi, we use geofencing technology to create no ride, slow ride and mandatory parking zones and our team has taken the necessary measures to ensure this one-off situation doesn’t repeat itself.”
Police say it is not yet known if the reports of a group riding e-scooters along the hard shoulder is linked to the video shown on social media.
A force spokesperson said: “Yesterday afternoon (Sunday, September 19) at around 2.20pm we received a report from a member of the public that a group of six to seven males had been sighted riding e-scooters on the hard shoulder of the M32 outbound between junctions two and three.
“We’d remind the public that Voi rental e-scooters are subject to road traffic legislation and are not permitted for use on motorways. Anyone caught committing a traffic offence on an e-scooter is liable for prosecution. Irresponsible e-scooter use puts pedestrians, motorists and the riders themselves at risk.”
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the incident, or who may hold video or dash cam footage to call 101, quoting log 596 of 19 September.
Main image taken from Twitter video by @MatBurnham
Read more: Pavement parking racks installed for hire e-scooters
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