Tier issues advice for riders if they are in crash while riding e-scooter or bike

E-scooters have been a part of Bristol's roads since 2020 and have become a popular and easy means of travel for many in central parts of the city, despite some people sharing mixed views on them. It's now a common site to see people scan a scooter using the app on their phone, hop on and ride off on their way - be it to work, to meet friends, or simply for a bit of fresh air.

However, sometimes it isn't quite that peaceful a journey. As with any vehicle on our roads, there's always the risk of having an accident, which has led some people in the city to question how this means of travel can be made safer if it is set to stay on Bristol's roads permanently.

A recent story told of 51-year-old Matthew Smith from Totterdown, who was involved in two separate incidents with motorists on the roads in Bristol. Mr Smith came off the e-scooter he was riding twice, leaving him with bloodied knees and fearful that he'd be 'risking his life' if he were to use one in the city again.

Read more: Tier to 'increase patrols' in South Bristol suburb after scooters and bikes block shop entrance

Read more: TIER celebrates 1,000,000 miles travelled in Bristol and Bath

He told BristolLive: "As a result of this behaviour, I am having to consider going back to my car or risk, it seems, a life-threatening injury. It is clear that scooters have an image problem in the city and we need to do some work on that. There are bad riders as well as good, but then it's the same with every vehicle."

He is calling for more to be done to prevent more incidents like the ones he faced. He added: "The key thing here is that on a scooter or bike you are exposed flesh and bone, whereas the rest is tonnes of metal. There is no competition in those bad scenarios, we know how it ends and I don't want to be one of those statistics. We need restricted and dedicated scooter/bike lanes everywhere, not just on some parts of some roads.

"We also need cameras at traffic lights and major junctions. Only then can we start to feel safe again on these vehicles which are there ultimately to help the planet."

Sign up to receive daily news updates and breaking news alerts straight to your inbox for free here.

Jessica Murphy, head of public policy at Tier, said: "Our research, in partnership with TRL, shows that infrastructure is the number one factor influencing feelings of safety. Micro-mobility infrastructure - which can be shared by both cyclist and e-scooter users - was the most important factor in determining how safe individuals felt when riding an e-bike or e-scooter. In fact, infrastructure which enables cyclists and micro-mobility users to be segregated from motorists was three times more likely to be chosen when compared to other safety measures."

There have also been several cases of scooters being abandoned or left in unsafe places over recent months, or places that leave no room for pedestrians. However, staff at Tier - the current e-scooter and bike supplier for Bristol - have responded by increasing patrols and limiting parking zones, to ensure scooters and bikes are stored safely and correctly.

Who should be using Tier vehicles and what to do if you're involved in an accident while riding a Tier e-scooter or bike

You are only able to ride with Tier if you are at least 18 years of age, and you should not be riding e-bikes or e-scooters with a passenger. Tier is responsible for providing, operating and maintaining its fleet of vehicles.

This includes ensuring e-scooters and e-bikes are charged, in 'good working condition' and are being used safely. Tier also undertakes street patrols to ensure correct parking of vehicles, and responds to reports of poor parking.

The team will move vehicles to ensure there is adequate provision across parking locations. They will also work with the police on reports of misuse.

Tier says: "If users are involved in an accident we ask that they contact our customer care team to report the incident." You can report any misuse, wrongly parked or abandoned vehicles via the website, too.