E-scooters should be banned from footpaths in Ireland, according to a coalition of charities for people with access needs.
The National Council for the Blind in Ireland (NCBI), Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind (IGDB) and the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) have come together urging the government to “protect pedestrians with access needs before it is too late”.
The charities are asking Transport Minister Eamon Ryan to ban e-scooters on footpaths, reduce the maximum speed limit and to introduce age restrictions and insurance requirements.
"Significant risk"
On Breakfast Briefing this morning, NCBI spokeswoman June Tinsley said there is still no e-scooter legislation in Ireland – while the vehicles become ever-more popular on our roads.
She said e-scooters “pose a significant risk of harm” when used on footpaths – with nearly eight-in-ten NCBI telling a recent survey that they had experienced a collision or near-miss on the pavement.
“People who are blind or vision impaired can’t see the e-scooters approaching, so we would certainly like an audio sound attached to e-scooters to assist in this,” she said.
“For people who are guide-dog users, the fast-approaching e-scooters can certainly startle guide dogs who can then get a little disorientated and as a result, their owners are unsure of exactly what’s happening.
“Any individual with an access need, whether they are a wheelchair user or even parents with small children in buggies, when the e-scooters are going past so fast, it certainly has led to collisions and incidents.”
Danger
Ms Tinsley said Garda figures show that there were over 1,300 traffic incidents involving e-scooters in the last three years – “in some cases leading to injuries and also, to two deaths”.
“I suppose we are highlighting here that we need to have minimum regulations and standards for the use e-scooters,” she said. “For the benefit of riders and pedestrians.
All three of the charities have expressed concern that Minister Ryan has not been available to discuss their concerns with them.
“We would love to have that meeting because we need the legislation and the subsequent regulations flowing from that to be passed before further infrastructure is rolled out,” said Ms Tinsley.
