Merseyside SLC met VOI e-scooters
Blind and partially sighted people in Liverpool met VOI to exchange perspectives on e-scooters.
Members of Merseyside Sight Loss Council (SLC) recently met with e-scooter operators Voi, to raise their concerns over e-scooters and the challenges they present to blind and partially sighted people.
Issues raised included vehicles being abandoned across pavements, users riding them on the pavements and e-scooters currently having no sound.
It also enabled them to get up close to explore what an e-scooter looks and feels like.
Mike Wright, a member of the SLC, said:
“A number of blind and partially sighted people have experienced issues relating to e-scooters. Following the event with representatives from Voi and Merseyside SLC, the general feeling was that they took our views on e-scooters seriously.
“I was pleased and felt reassured when I learnt of the enforcement procedures they have put in place relating to mis-use. Also their ongoing plans for parking and securing units after use was good to learn about.”
During the afternoon staff members from Voi spent time wearing simulation glasses outdoors and looked at how some of the e-scooters were parked.
Experiencing how and what blind and partially sighted people can see helped Voi’s team understand the difficulties visually impaired people face in relation to e-scooters.
Matthew Pencharz, Head of Policy for UK, Ireland and the Netherlands for Voi walking into an e-scooter wearing sim specs
Sam Pooke, Senior Public Policy Manager, UK and Ireland at Voi Technology said:
“We were delighted to meet Merseyside SLC for this in-person event and discuss how we can work together to continue to ensure the needs of blind and partially sighted people are considered as part of the e-scooter trial.”
Sam added: “Liverpool is one of the cities where we are piloting e-scooter sounds and we have recently launched a partnership with Lazarillo app which allows blind and partially sighted people to receive real time voice messages on scooter parking locations and report any poorly parked scooters directly to Voi.
“Moving forward, we will soon be introducing parking racks in Liverpool which have been designed to protect those with sight loss.”
Merseyside SLC will continue to work with Voi in the Liverpool area as the trial of e-scooters continues.
Read more on our #StreetsForAll campaign
Publication date: 14 July 2022