New regulations are coming into force next week to ban e-scooter users from footpaths.
Children under the age of 16 will be prohibited from using e-scooters from next Monday 20th May, under regulations signed by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan.
The regulations also require vehicle registration and, in some cases, license and insurance for powerful e-mopeds that can go markedly faster than fast cyclists.
In a bid to balance the safety of e-scooter and e-bike users with pedestrians, pedal cyclists and other road users, e-scooter users will not be permitted on footpaths or pedestrianised zones, only cycle lanes and bus lanes, and are not allowed to carry other passengers or goods.
The Road Safety Authority will be rolling out an extensive public information and awareness campaign to inform the general public of the new regulations.
Minister Ryan said: “Over the past few years, we’ve seen more and more e-scooter and e-bikes on our roads. Since they first appeared, many have developed and have become more powerful and these regulations set out clearly how they can all be used in our evolving transport landscape, safely and with respect for other road users, in particular those most vulnerable on our roads like pedestrians and cyclists. They will also help future-proof Ireland’s regulatory system to ensure that we can adapt to new technologies as they continue to emerge.”
The technical and usage parameters for e-scooters, e-bikes and e-mopeds are available here: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/3be70-find-your-category/
