E-scooter rules punish responsible users - commuter group

New e-scooter rules which came into force today punish responsible users, a group representing commuters has said.

The regulations require e-scooter users to wear helmets and high-visibility clothing.

Chair of the Dublin Commuter Coalition Jason Cullen said he does not think the regulations are the right approach.

"Its major impact is going to be that compliant e-scooter users will now have another barrier to entry. We want and need better enforcement.

"Since these measures were announced, we've seen an uptick in garda resourcing and 40 plus e-scooters per day around the city are being seized, the illegally used ones.

"What we want is better guided resourcing and better operations for managing that anti-social behaviour and illegal behaviour in community, so that those people who are compliant can continue to use them in a safe way."

Calls for an outright ban on escooters by medics in CHI Temple Street, after six children ended up on life support in the hospital over one fortnight this summer with escooter injuries, prompted today's changes.

The Minister for Transport hopes to introduce a ban on e-scooters for under-18s earlier than planned by the end of September or early October

Darragh O'Brien says he is moving to increase the minimum age for escooter use from 16 to 18 after the EU waived a waiting period usually required to make these changes.

Dr Shane Broderick, Consultant in Emergency Medicine & Trauma, Mater Hospital said while the rules on helmets and high viz are welcome, more needs to be done by both escooter users and the government.

"We certainly welcome users wearing helmets and high-vis but we also really want users to be responsible road users, to adhere to speed limits, to not modify e-scooters, to not have pillion passengers, to not have extra equipment, seats, to not use the e-scooters if you're under the age of 16 and soon under the age of 18.

"From a Government perspective, we need these rules to be implemented," Dr Broderick said.

"We need gardaí to be able to enforce these rules, to deliver the fines, to impound scooters if that's what needs to happens.

"It remains to be seen whether it will make a real, tangible difference in terms of the trauma presentation that we see as a result of these scooter accidents and injuries, which we're seeing on a daily basis.

"I think really what's required, is that hopefully this is a tiered response. I hope that this is the first step in the suite of measures that will be ultimately implemented."

The Department of Transport said regulations for registration, insurance and driving licences for e-scooters are still being considered and the Government has not ruled out a total ban on their use.

It said a Department of Health report on the public health implications of e-scooters due shortly, will inform their next steps.