Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I confirm that I am in Leinster House.

I thank the witnesses for their presentations on the road traffic (miscellaneous provisions) Bill 2019. Has Ms Graham given any thought to what recommendation she might make on an age limit for the use of e-scooters and e-bikes? Is the NTA looking into what is being done on age limits in other European jurisdictions and globally? Obviously, people need to be of a responsible age to be using these types of vehicles. Has the NTA done any review of what the speed limit should be for electric vehicles in general? They are very low to the ground and concerns have been raised regarding the impact of the quality of road conditions. If a user were to hit a bump travelling at a particular speed, he or she could end up in great difficulty. Injury or possibly even the loss of life might arise from using the vehicle irresponsibly. What are the witnesses' views in this regard?

We see people using these vehicles on a regular basis on the streets of Dublin. Their use is not strictly confined to cycle lanes. Would the witnesses recommend that these devices be used only in cycle lanes, or should they be permitted on open roads? Should they be limited, for example, to a particular classification of roads in urban areas?

I thank Mr. Wash for his presentation. I welcome his practical suggestion that TFI would invite the members of the committee to look at the eMOS system. It seems we are only catching up with other European jurisdictions in implementing this type of technology. It seems to be very complex. What type of driver education does TFI intend to introduce around what looks like a fundamental and dramatic change in how the M50 will be used? High-tech, cutting-edge technology will be employed to deliver the new system, with speed limits changing based on volumes of traffic, weather and so on. For someone who travels to Dublin occasionally but not on a regular basis, it could be a real culture shock to find that parts of the M50 have a limit of 100 km per hour or 80 km per hour instead of 120 km per hour. What level of educational awareness campaigning do the witnesses envisage taking place as part of this change?

The Chairman might ask the witnesses to respond to those questions.