A SOUTHAMPTON woman who uses a mobility scooter to get about says abuse from motorists and pedestrians have left her "anxious" to go out.

Michelle Porter, of Thornhill, had to swap her car for a mobility scooter in March due to ill health. 

The mother of two explained: "I was shopping in Tesco when I had a fit. 

"It was out of the blue and my doctor told me that I can't drive for a year.

"For a long time, I could not go anywhere and it was upsetting." 

Since then, Michelle and her beloved dog, Teddy, have been using a mobility scooter to move around the city.

However, on many occasions, the "rudeness" and "aggression" of motorists and pedestrians alike have left Michelle shocked.

The 54-year-old said: "Some pedestrians have a go at you for being on pavements, while if you go on a road, you get drivers shouting at you to get off the road.

"A finger and obscene language were recently used to tell me to 'get off the road'."

The "terrible" state of some pavements and the presence of wheelie bins in the middle of footpaths force Michelle to plan her trips to Tesco or the city centre well in advance. 

She added: "I have to go to the city for my counselling sessions, and it takes about an hour to get to town.

"I am anxious about going out, but I am not going to stop. 

"According to the law, I am allowed to drive on the road, footpaths, and pedestrian areas.

"And yet, I have cars coming towards me, driving so close that I can touch their wing mirror.

"It is unnerving and scary." 

In the UK, all mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs can legally travel at a maximum speed of 4mph on footpaths or in pedestrian areas.

And on the road, they are allowed to drive at a maximum speed of 8mph.

They cannot drive on bus lanes, "cycle only" lanes or motorways.

The Thornhill resident is now asking the council to consider the idea of allowing mobility scooter users to drive in cycle lanes. 

She said: "Cyclists have a wide lane and I think it will be a lot safer if we can use them too." 

The city council's inquiry into accessibility in Southampton has highlighted the need to work with different user groups, including mobility scooters, to improve the transport network.

However, allowing mobility scooters to use cycle lanes is not an option.

A spokesperson said: "Guidelines set out by the central government stipulate that mobility scooters are not allowed in dedicated ‘cycle only’ lanes so this is not something that we have the power to change.

"We are however now working on the actions from the inquiry including the establishment of an Accessibility Forum which will allow different user groups to provide input and advice on the built environment and transport-related schemes."

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