Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I fully recognise that the use of e-scooters is more prevalent in communities and I welcome the introduction of legislation to cover both shared schemes and private use. However, it is abundantly clear that amendments to the Bill are required to ensure the safety of disabled pedestrians, including those who are visually impaired, those who are deaf or hard of hearing and those with limited mobility.

Under no circumstance should the usage of e-scooters be permitted on footpaths. That is an absolute must for disabled pedestrians and those with limited mobility. The legislation currently allows for a maximum speed of 20 km/h but this should be reduced to 12 km/h in line with other European countries, and consideration should be given to lower speed limits near certain areas such as schools.

An acoustic vehicle alert system should be required on all e-scooters so that they can be heard approaching. EU regulation No. 540/2014 mandates all manufacturers to equip their new electric and hybrid system with this system by 1 July of this year. While the regulation does not cover e-scooters, it presents an opportunity for Ireland to lead on legislation in this area.

There should be designated parking bays for e-scooters. These should be enclosed with high contrast materials and located off pedestrian access ways to prevent injuries to disabled pedestrians and those with limited mobility. There must be areas within each community where e-scooters are prohibited from use, such as shared use spaces, areas with high footfall that are congested and high risk areas such as shared cycle lanes and those not segregated from bus stops.

Provision for insurance and, at least, a provisional licence must be included in the legislation. The requirement to hold a provisional licence is in line with the age requirements under the legislation and would ensure that those using e-scooters would have a thorough understanding of the rules of the road. It is also essential that e-scooters have accessible registration plates in order that riders who break the rules of the road can be identified and fined or prosecuted.

Internationally, rollbacks and bans have been introduced as a result of injuries to the public caused by e-scooters. Ireland has an opportunity to lead the way in the introduction of legislation that recognises safety for all road users at its core. The amendments I have outlined, which I intend to introduce, are the baseline requirements that must be included in the Bill to ensure the safety of disabled pedestrians and those with limited mobility.

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