Plans to introduce an e-scooter trial in Manchester have been criticised by people who rely on guide dogs to get around the city. Manchester council is considering rolling out a fleet of electric scooters in the summer of 2027, following a Lime scooter scheme in Salford that the local authority there has described as a 'major success'.
While the trial is not yet confirmed and would require the backing of Greater Manchester Police among others, the city has received provisional approval from the Department for Transport to develop a proposal.
Safety concerns raised by guide dog owners
The plans have not been welcomed by many who are partially sighted or blind and rely on guide dogs to live independently. Jennie Harrison, a guide dog owner from Didsbury who has been blind since birth, said: "I volunteer for Childline over in Salford and when I go [there], I am a lot more scared for my safety and that of my guide dog's. The e-scooters are so silent that I only hear them when they are upon me, and I panic that it might be on the pavement and hit me or my guide dog Brandy. I can tell she doesn't quite know what to make of them either as she's not used to seeing them in Manchester."
Harrison added: "They are frequently not returned to their dock and when they are dumped on the pavement Brandy and I have to make the decision to go into the road to get round them. Manchester is a lot more crowded than Salford and I don't feel like the infrastructure would suit e-scooters. I am passionate about reducing the amount of emissions created but every city is unique and therefore unique solutions need to be sort."
Charity warns of collision risks
Charity Guide Dogs UK has previously conducted its own study about the danger of 'silent' e-scooters, which could cause a serious or even fatal injury when colliding with a pedestrian at 15.5mph, according to their own crash-testing. The danger is particularly acute for those with vision impairments, who rely on audio cues and their trained dogs to keep them safe.
Adam Marsh, regional policy and campaigns manager at Guide Dogs, said: "Safety must be the priority if Manchester City Council moves forward with an e-scooter rental scheme. People with sight loss already face challenges navigating busy streets, and experience from other trial areas shows that pavement riding and poorly parked e-scooters can create additional hazards and barriers to independent travel."
He added: "We want to see strong safeguards in place from day one to protect pedestrians, people with a vision impairment and those using the rental scheme."
Council response
A spokesperson for Manchester council responded: "At present the Council is simply exploring the impact and feasibility of introducing an e-scooter programme in Manchester. Before any final decision is made we would of course engage in depth with key stakeholders, including members of the blind or partially sighted community."
Transport for Greater Manchester declined to comment, as the scheme proposal is driven independently by Manchester City Council.
