E-scooters banned on public transport due to fire safety concerns

Eva Osborne

E-scooters are banned on public transport as of Monday, after the National Transport Authority cited fire safety concerns over the scooters' batteries.

The ban includes those that can be folded and carried - but does not apply to e-bikes or mobility scooters.

Some people at Heuston Station said they could see both sides of the argument, with one person saying: "Maybe it's not great for people that are travelling through the city and need it when they get off. I suppose there's a lot of safety hazards."

Another said: "It's some people's only mode of transport that they have, so it is a bit difficult for them then when they get to their destination."

Last year, a survey by iReach Insights on behalf of Aviva Insurance found that 36 per cent of people thought e-scooters posed a danger to pedestrians, and about one in seven stated that they should be banned altogether.

One in four people thought e-scooters should have to pay tax and insurance regardless of speed capability, according to the survey.

More men than women felt that e-scooters should be banned altogether.