A council looks set to reject proposals to bring in an identification system for fast food delivery riders in a busy high street.

Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats employees weaving through pedestrianised areas across Canterbury has been a source of frustration for many shoppers in recent years.

Councillor Pip Hazelton has tabled a motion calling for a bylaw to be introduced which would require takeaway riders on motorbikes, mopeds, e-scooters and bicycles to display an ID number.

However, ahead of a meeting of Canterbury City Council's cabinet on Monday, documents have revealed the authority has recommended against her proposal.

Despite the snub, Cllr Ashley Clark, the cabinet's member for enforcement, has told KentOnline an outright ban for delivery riders on the high street is still "on the table".

But he wants to see existing powers used first and to avoid a "knee-jerk reaction" to the issue - which has also caused problems in Dartford.

Cllr Hazelton says introducing the bylaw would make it easier for people to report nuisance riders to the council or police over fears of a "nasty accident" happening.

It would also mean offenders could be fined or hauled in front of magistrates.

The Labour councillor said: "It’s impossible to identify them. A number of them are considerate but a large number are not.

"They come out behind people silent, weaving in and out, and it’s alarming. There have been accidents and we know it’s an issue.

"I appreciate the police are very stretched and they may not consider it a massive priority but it is an issue for pedestrian safety.

"An identification system number would allow members of the public to report the rogue ones. It would be a much more efficient use of council and police time."

However, city council officers have raised a number of concerns, including that it is a "measure of last resort" and it could take between six to 12 months to complete.

The authority also says it would need to consult with key delivery companies to see if they would introduce their own voluntary scheme.

A report published ahead of Monday's meeting adds: "The provision and display of physical registration numbers is challenging with no obvious place to put a registration number - not least as riders can use the same hot box when working for different companies.

"A new digital system and process would be required to enable an online registration scheme.

"There is no current resource available for a new system."

"A lot of the issues can be dealt with by the police..."

The council also says the bylaw would be concerned only with the requirement to register, so it would not solve the problem of dangerous riding, which is managed through existing measures and enforced by police

It is estimated it would cost about £85,000 to introduce it, which the council says it cannot currently afford.

The council instead recommends carrying out an informal public consultation, along with "stakeholder engagement" and on-site officer visits to gather evidence.

It says it will continue working with police and food delivery companies to tackle the issue, as well as pushing to find "the right solution to the challenges".

But Cllr Hazelton said: "It’s kicking the pan down the road by trying to establish if there is a problem and to what extent there is one.

"If you’re only suggesting this in March 2023, when we know the issue of fast food delivery riders started in the pandemic, it is a very late incoming."

Cllr Clark says the issue has been going on for years because police “have not had the numbers to do their job properly”.

“What I’m anxious to avoid is a knee-jerk reaction,” the Conservative said.

“If legislation is done too quickly it isn’t always effective.

“We need to assess and review the specific nature of the problem so we can enact a traffic order or Public Space Protection Order to deal with the issue.

“In the meantime, a lot of the issues can be dealt with by the police.

“Unfortunately, our officers don’t have the power to stop vehicles.”

But he says riders could still be banned from the city centre after more evidence of the issue is gathered.

“It is on the table," he said. "But what I want to see in the immediate period is action by using the powers we already have, which are not being used. There is all sorts of legislation out there."

The bylaw will be voted on by city councillors at Monday's cabinet meeting.

Delivery drivers are not just causing issues in Canterbury.

In video obtained exclusively by KentOnline last month, couriers in Dartford were seen flouting the rules of the road, driving across the paved area between shops and using alleys as a cut-through.

Many shoppers said they feared for their safety as the riders ignore no-entry signs and drive along the pedestrian-only high street.