Cyclists and scooter drivers urged to slow down in town

Share the Space campaign launched in Newbury

A CAMPAIGN to encourage mobility scooters and cyclists to slow down through Newbury town centre was recently launched in Northbrook Street.

Organised by Newbury Town Council, the Share the Space campaign aims to highlight the dangers of driving the scooters or bicycles too fast in the pedestrianised areas of town.

The council said it had received complaints about the number of scooters driving too quickly and carelessly through the busy shopping streets of Newbury, prompting councillors to approve an awareness campaign.

The launch event saw town councillors, along with members of Volunteer Centre West Berkshire (VCWB) and local cycle group Spokes, hand out leaflets and talk to the public.

Newbury Town Council pedestrian experience working group chairwoman Jo Day said: “It was very, very encouraging.

“We had so much support from everybody.

“We are never going to get through to everybody, but if we can just get people to slow down and watch out for one another.”

Mrs Day said the campaign was very much a positive one.

She added: “I had a discussion with one gentleman who asked ‘what do I have against cyclists?’.

“I’m not anti-cyclists, none of us are, we just want everyone to be more considerate.”

Garry Poulson, the director of VCWB , which runs the town’s Shopmobility scheme, was also driving home the message.

He said: “We certainly struck a chord with the public, without a shadow of doubt.

“We felt we were best-placed to say to people in mobility scooters ‘be careful and slow down’.

“I think we pricked a few consciences of those using both privately-owned scooters and scooters borrowed from Shopmobility.”

Mr Poulson added: “We are very happy to be associated with it and to help encourage greater awareness.”

Organisers are now hoping to carry on the campaign with another public event in the town centre later this month, which could become a regular fixture.

Mrs Day said: “We have a meeting on Wednesday (yesterday) and we can get some feedback and see where we go from there.

“We will review what we have done and I think what we have done has been very successful.

“I can see the potential for more publicity.

“There are issues people raised and we look forward to seeing what we can do to share the space in the town centre.”