Oxfordshire mobility companies and Fire & Rescue Service create scooter user group to promote safety
Inspired by a local mobility scooter user group established by Wantage Fire & Rescue Service, Pride Mobility has worked with Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service to form a similar set up in Bicester.
Initially formed as a trial in the small market town of Wantage in Oxfordshire by the local Fire & Rescue service at the end of last year, the mobility scooter user group provides valuable training on scooter and fire safety to residents.
Having come across the successful initiative in the neighbouring town, Nycole Scourfield, Digital Marketing Manager at Pride Mobility, discussed the motivation to bring the scheme to the company’s town of Bicester.
“The idea came from a chance reading of a local paper. I saw a newspaper article about the Wantage Mobility Scooter User Group, which had been put together to spread a message of road/fire safety and act as a social group in the local community. I knew immediately that this was something Pride should be getting involved with,” she explained.
“Mobility scooter safety has recently hit the headlines and more needs to be done about ensuring both scooter users and pedestrians are staying safe on the roads. It seemed like a great opportunity to give back to our local community by offering our help and support to expand the group to Bicester. We got in touch with one of our local supplier Shire Mobility who also offered their support on the day and began planning!”
At the end of August, Pride Mobility and Shire Mobility, alongside the Oxfordshire County Council & Fire and Rescue, held its first group session at the town’s fire station.
“A session consists of some fire safety advice, a practical activity that focused on an area of driving a mobility scooter – this time was reversing at an appropriate speed and doing a slalom-type course – and finishes with tea/coffee and cake!” said Nycole.
“It not only promotes safety for users but also acts as a social group and allows the Fire Service to spread their awareness.”
With mobility scooter accidents continuing to make headlines amidst serious injuries and even fatalities, Nycole says that it is vital that the industry works with local authorities to proactively tackle the growing issue.
“It’s so important to ensure retailers, manufacturers and council-led services join hands in promoting scooter safety – we all should recognise the importance of ensuring our customers and members of the public remain safe using mobility scooters and powerchairs alike,” she stressed.
“It’s our responsibility to ensure both at the point of purchase and later down the line that the customer is aware on the operational side of the scooter, as well as the legal side… i.e. only certain class scooters should be driving on roads etc. The best and only way to achieve this by collaborating and educating people whenever we can.”
Following its first successful session, Pride is now considering taking the scheme further afield, alongside holding additional meetings in Bicester.
“We’re in the very early stages of running this one but could absolutely see us branching out further afield in the near future,” finished Nycole.
“We would like to offer our thanks to the Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service and Shire Mobility for their support and look forward to hopefully holding another session before the end of the year.”
