Public transport operators are to prohibit the carriage of e-scooters for safety reasons and to help prevent the risk of combustion on board buses and trains. This includes those that can be folded or carried, according to a guidance document published today by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
The restriction will take effect in early October. It will apply to e-scooters but not e-bikes or mobility scooters.
E-scooters are a relatively new product and were unregulated in Ireland until earlier this year. The quality control of their construction is therefore not as mature or well developed as e-bikes and mobility scooters, which have been regulated for longer. The tested batteries of e-bikes and mobility scooters do not pose the same level of risk.
The restriction is subject to periodic review by the NTA and the transport operators.
The guidance is prompted by safety concerns in relation to many lithium-ion batteries which are commonplace in such devices. These batteries are known to develop internal faults, leading to overheating and combustion. This has resulted in recent fires and thick black smoke on board public transport in Madrid and Barcelona.
Similar restrictions are already in place in Berlin, Barcelona, and the UK.
This guidance applies to all services operated under a contract with the NTA, including Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Go-Ahead Ireland, Iarnród Éireann, Luas and TFI Local Link.
