E-scooters are coming under fire following accidents in the city.

Norfolk Police is currently running a week-long initiative to crack down on e-scooters being ridden illegally.

The National Federation of the Blind of the UK is calling for trials of e-scooters to be halted due to the dangers involved for riders and pedestrians alike.

Sarah Gayton, street access safety coordinator for the group, said: "Accidents keep happening and people are not using them safely. They should be illegal.

"People can suffer head injuries and complex fractures when they fall off them."

Norwich Evening News: Sarah Gayton, of the National Federation of the Blind of the UK, who has been campaigning against e-scootersSarah Gayton, of the National Federation of the Blind of the UK, who has been campaigning against e-scooters (Image: Sarah Gayton)

E-scooter provider Beryl Bikes said safety is paramount.

The county council has also announced it will be offering new training courses for riders, adding: “These schemes have a good safety record with comparatively low accident rates compared to other forms of transport. Users should follow guidance from operators at all times."

However, Ms Gayton added: "We know how dangerous they are and for the blind and visually impaired people, it's a nightmare.

"They have come out again after the pandemic and for an e-scooter to be whizzing along the pavement is just unfair."

It comes as a 23-year-old woman with type two diabetes was injured in a crash involving her scooter and a bus at the junction of Drayton Road and Junction Road around noon on Monday, April 4.

Speaking on behalf of the rider, who wished to remain anonymous, sister Cazy Campbell said: "My sister cracked the back of her head open.

"When she went into hospital she was in resuscitation because she could have died because of her disabilities.

"E-scooters need to be taken off the streets."

City councillor Lucy Galvin (Green) has called for the e-scooters to be used legally and safely.

She said: "It is a trial so there needs to be more education around using them and more safety training.

"They are used all across Europe and they have proved to be viable in many cities. They are not necessarily any more dangerous than a bike or car but they have to be operated safely."

A spokesman for Beryl Bikes said: "We constantly review our schemes and processes to ensure they are being delivered as effectively as possible."