Because of concerns that the batteries in e-scooters might catch fire, people won’t be allowed to use them on public transit starting today, reports RTE.
According to the National Transport Authority (NTA), inherent defects in lithium-ion batteries are known to occur and can cause overheating and combustion.
Public transport providers will, as of tomorrow, ban the carrying or folding of e-scooters on buses and trains, in accordance with guidelines published by the NTA earlier this year.
Both mobility scooters and e-bikes are exempt from the limitation, reports RTE.
The NTA stated in a statement that “e-scooters are a relatively new product and were unregulated in Ireland until earlier this year.”
Therefore, compared to e-bikes and mobility scooters, which have been subject to regulations for a longer period of time, their construction quality control is not as advanced or well-developed.
“The tested batteries of e-bikes and mobility scooters do not pose the same level of risk,” reports RTE.
The NTA said that, in contrast to e-bikes, the position of the batteries on the e-scooter platform makes them more vulnerable to physical harm.
The advice was also spurred by recent fires that occurred on Madrid and Barcelona public transit systems, according to the NTA.
It further mentioned that Berlin, Barcelona, and the UK already had similar limits in place.
They cover all services, such as Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Go-Ahead Ireland, Iarnród Éireann, Luas, and TFI Local Link, that are run in accordance with an agreement with the NTA, reports RTE.
The onus of executing and enforcing the prohibition will rest with individual transportation providers. The NTA stated that both the NTA and the transport operators are subject to periodic reviews of the guidelines.
The action has been praised by the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU), which claims it would safeguard both passengers and drivers.
According to the study, members have expressed grave worries about events using e-scooter batteries on European buses and trains, reports RTE.
The NBRU stated that the government and the NTA set policy, thus trade unions and transportation businesses have little say in whether e-scooters are permitted or prohibited on public transportation.
“Consequently, drivers find themselves not only managing the complexities of these policies, such as instructing passengers to fold their scooters and overseeing and managing luggage compartments, but also confronting the very real dangers posed by battery combustion and the potential for deadly fires on buses and trains. The technical aspects of e-scooter batteries further complicate this issue. Higher energy capacities result in increased watt hours, which in turn extend the range of electric scooters for a given motor size. Given the impracticality of policing battery capacity on public transport, a complete ban on the carriage of e-scooters emerges as the most effective solution. Safety must be our utmost priority, and the NBRU fully supports the ban on e-scooter transport to protect drivers and passengers alike from the risks associated with these devices,” reports RTE.
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