Britons have been warned of new penalties in effect across Wiltshire, which sees riders of electric scooters and bikes slapped with instant fines for causing anti-social behaviour.
Under the new rules, riders in Swindon can be issued a £100 fine for travelling in restricted areas and causing havoc across the town centre.
The order also covers other "nuisance" behaviour such as street drinking, public urination and cycling dangerously around pedestrians.
The new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) gives Wiltshire Police and Swindon Borough Council staff the power to fine riders, with repeat offenders risking being taken to court and facing more serious penalties of up to £1,000.
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Under the rules, riders can be issued a £100 fine for anti-social behaviour
|SOUTH YORKSHIRE POLICE/GETTY
Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said the measures were in direct response to public anger over dangerous riding.
He said: "Through working with Wiltshire Police and our partners to use ASB hotspot funding to increase police patrols and continue to employ Community Safety Wardens in Swindon, we can use the PSPO as a tool to effectively tackle the anti-social behaviour which has a profoundly negative effect on the lives of our residents.
"By working collaboratively, we will create a better and safer environment for our residents, shoppers and retailers in Swindon town centre and Broadgreen."
Before the powers came into effect, the council launched a consultation on the proposal, which saw more than 730 residents take part, with nearly 90 per cent in favour of the new rules.
E-scooters and e-bikes have been beaching restricted areas and causing a nuisance to pedestrians
| DERBYSHIRE POLICESwindon Borough Council explained that the order was necessary to put an end to poor behaviour that was driving people away from the high street.
Councillor Jim Grant added: "We're committed to creating a town centre where people feel safe and want to spend time in. The PSPO is an important step in supporting our police partners to take action against a number of individuals whose behaviour has a negative impact on the area.
"E-scooters have become a particular nuisance. We've had elderly residents knocked into, shoppers forced to dodge riders on the pavements, and groups using them in a reckless way. People are fed up, and this is about saying enough is enough."
Local business owners have claimed that they feel unsafe with e-scooter riders dominating parts of the town centre.
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Linda Matthews, who runs a clothing shop near Regent Street, told the BBC: "I've seen people come flying down the pedestrian area on e-scooters - no helmets, weaving between families. I've had customers say they avoid town now because of it. It's out of control."
Meanwhile, a taxi driver warned that families were being disrupted by "drinkers" and scooters, adding that he hoped fines would "calm things down".
Swindon Police Inspector David Tippetts explained that the new measures grant officers additional powers to address anti-social behaviour in specified areas and "are a welcome addition to our toolkit".
He warned: "Anti-social behaviour in the town centre, whether that's through things like street drinking or dangerous riding of e-bikes and e-scooters, has a detrimental impact on the area, deterring members of the public who might wish to come into the town centre and support local businesses."
E-bike riders can face prosecution for failing to follow traffic rules | PAThe crackdown forms part of Swindon's wider "Heart of Swindon" regeneration plan, which aims to bring life back to the high street.
Supporters hoped that clearing the streets of e-riders would encourage families and shoppers to return to the area. But some residents have warned that fines alone may not be enough to solve the problem.
One Facebook user criticised the scheme, claiming that children riding the scooters wouldn't be able to pay the fines.
Councillor Grant concluded: "If you want to ride your scooter, do it responsibly and outside the restricted zones. If you don't, it's simple - you'll be fined."