Why E-Bikes and E-Scooters Are Making Streets a ‘Nightmare’ for Blind People

Published: 04 September 2025 | The English Chronicle Desk

The rapid rise in the use of electric bikes and scooters across the UK is being met with growing concern from blind and partially sighted people, who say the vehicles are turning everyday journeys into a source of fear, stress, and danger. A new report by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) reveals the extent of the problem, describing streets as a “nightmare” when pavements are blocked or when e-bikes and e-scooters speed past without warning.

According to the report, just one in ten blind people feels confident walking in their own neighbourhood. Of the 1,197 blind and partially sighted people surveyed, an overwhelming 92 per cent said they are often forced to step into roads because pavements are obstructed by parked vehicles, bikes, or e-scooters. The consequences can be severe: more than a third reported colliding with obstacles within the last three months alone.

For some, the situation has changed their lives dramatically. One participant shared that they now rely solely on a cane after their guide dog was withdrawn, having become too stressed by the constant need to navigate blocked pathways.

The rise of dockless rental schemes for e-bikes and e-scooters has exacerbated the problem. While users are instructed to park responsibly, vehicles are often left carelessly across pavements, creating significant hazards for those with visual impairments or mobility challenges.

Erik Matthies, RNIB’s policy lead for travel and transport, who himself lives with sight loss, said the growing number of street obstacles has made independent movement increasingly difficult. “I’m always having to double check or think about how I am going to get around by foot,” he explained. “This is tiring, takes up more time and makes me feel unsafe too. E-scooters and dockless bikes left on pavements have added to the issues with cars being parked on pavements, and advertising boards strewn all over.” He added that the unpredictability of fast-moving e-bikes and scooters is now contributing to mental health struggles among some blind and partially sighted people.

The RNIB is urging the government to establish “inclusive standards” for pavements, standards that can be both nationally recognised and robustly enforced. It has also called on local authorities to do more to maintain accessible pathways during roadworks, monitor food delivery cyclists more closely, and regulate rental schemes more effectively.

In response, the Department for Transport (DfT) has defended its approach, emphasising that safety remains its “top priority.” A spokesperson noted that private e-scooters are still illegal on public roads, and stressed that local authorities are required to ensure trial rental schemes do not obstruct disabled people. “To clamp down on reckless parking, we are bringing forward new powers to regulate e-scooters and e-bikes, letting local areas shape schemes to better meet their needs, whilst tackling badly parked cycles which are disruptive to many road users,” the DfT said.

The Local Government Association also underlined its commitment to ensuring accessibility, with Tom Hunt, chair of its inclusive growth committee, welcoming proposals in the Devolution Bill that would grant councils further regulatory powers. However, he warned that the government must act decisively on the estimated one million privately owned e-scooters in circulation, which remain unregulated, uninsured, and illegal to use on public roads. Hunt also raised concerns about the growing number of unlicensed electric motorbikes being misused as e-bikes.

The urgency of the matter is underscored by recent figures. According to the DfT, 52 pedestrians were seriously injured in collisions with e-scooters in England in 2023, highlighting the risks faced not just by blind and partially sighted people, but by pedestrians more broadly.

With the popularity of micromobility transport continuing to rise, campaigners argue that policymakers must act swiftly to balance innovation with accessibility, ensuring that blind and disabled people are not left feeling unsafe on Britain’s streets.