06 Mar 2023
Takeaway moped riders are flouting city centre road closures to reach their destinations quicker, putting pedestrians at risk in the process.
With High Street and George Street shut for traffic at weekends between 6pm on Friday to 7am on Monday, riders faced a major diversion to get from one side of the city to the other, something which would negatively impact on their delivery times.
Rather than turn up with cold food or take longer to reach their target takeaway, riders have been cutting through the High Street barriers between Verulam Road and The Peahen junction.
But with pedestrians not expecting to encounter any vehicle more dangerous than a pedal cycle, they have had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit by a moped.
Posting on Facebook group All things St Albans, Kyle McMullan said he had a narrow escape: “Whilst walking across the High Street at Brasserie Blance/Hamptons, I nearly got knocked down by a Deliveroo moped rider who decided that the barriers/road closure doesn’t apply to them and rides through them, nearly mowing down pedestrians including myself.
“He was quite dismissive of me when I yelled at him, and I sat and watched numerous other riders zip through.”
Ignoring the road closures is not only dangerous, it is also illegal, and local police officers are investigating the issue.
St Albans Neighbourhood Sergeant Alex Winning said: “We are aware of the issues in High Street and George Street.
“Driving in contravention of road signs is not only dangerous, it is also a criminal offence. We continue to regularly patrol the area and deal with drivers ignoring the signs for the safety of all pedestrians. We have issued a handful of traffic offence reports to moped riders, which means they will be fined, given a fixed penalty notice or sent on a driver’s improvement course.
“We are also working with St Albans City and District Council’s CCTV operators to make sure the pedestrian zones are enforced.
“I’d like to remind drivers that there is a signposted road closure in High Street and no vehicles are permitted to use it. The gates are only open between 7am and 11am for loading in George Street during the pedestrianisation trial. They are not for public access.”
New signs warning about the use of CCTV cameras have been installed on the barriers, but couriers have been seen walking their vehicles through High Street – engines still running – to get round the restrictions.
Unlike taxi drivers, takeaway delivery moped riders are not licensed by St Albans district council, and therefore cannot be penalised by the authority for dangerous driving or other offences.
And it’s not just cutting through road closures, courier riders are often seen performing dangerous overtaking manoeuvres, driving on the pavement, jumping red lights or parking their mopeds illegally, with the pressure to hit their delivery times prompting them to take unnecessary risks.
Just Eat would not comment on any specific cases without confirmation their riders were involved, but offered some background information on how they work with couriers.
“We have high standards for those that deliver on behalf of the business and our expectations are clearly communicated to couriers as part of onboarding and guidance processes, with a clear courier agreement and code of conduct which couriers sign up to in order to deliver on our network.
“We have a clear code of conduct for couriers and we take an evidence-based approach to holding couriers to account if we receive a complaint about their actions. We take a range of actions depending on severity, with a zero tolerance approach to criminal behaviour.”
All couriers who drive on behalf of Just Eat must:
● hold a licence valid for the category of vehicle which they are driving and have the relevant insurance
● ensure they drive in a safe manner and with due care and attention
● comply with The Road Traffic Acts, the Highway Code and this policy
● not undertake any road manoeuvres that may place them or others at risk
● immediately notify the company of any condition that may affect their ability to drive.
A Deliveroo spokesperson said: “The safety of our riders and other road users is a priority. When riders onboard with us, they are required to complete a programme of road safety guidance and we regularly engage with riders about how to keep safe on the road, and remind them that they must follow the rules of the road at all times.
“We have a zero tolerance policy for any rider found to have broken the law while riding with us.”
