Mr. John Fulham:

I thank the Senator for the questions. Yes, there are examples of various practices across Europe in regard to insurance and the requirements, even on the broader spectrum with regard to safety such as the use of safety helmets and the requirement to wear a high-viz jacket. For example, in Germany, it is necessary to get insurance. As I said in my opening statement, there are examples of best practice out there and we can learn from the mistakes. Even in looking to parking, Paris had a similar problem to the one in Brussels and the authorities contacted the e-scooter providers and brought them in.

The one point I would make in addressing all of this is that the scheme providers are one element but we need to emphasise Ms Tinsley’s point that the legal framework is so important. We have some mechanisms to work with the scheme providers and they are the ones with the technology, so we need the potential insurance schemes to cover their operations. In private e-scooter ownership, that does not exist and, therefore, the legal framework in terms of legislation and regulation is critical to cover what is a gaping hole in what is being proposed at the moment.

As was said, there is also the issue with buggies. I am a dad and I have had both, although it is an unusual sight to see an e-scooter and a buggy coming along the path. This is about vision impairment but it is also about limited mobility. We are talking about people who are getting older and while they may not have an impairment now, they might have one when they are older. We always say to people that while they might not need us now, they may need us in the future. In the scope of who needs to be included in this conversation, it is important to remember that.