E-scooters to be banned on public transport amid safety concerns of 'combustable' batteries

E-scooters are to be banned from public transport from October, according to new guidance document published by the National Transport Authority (NTA).

Guidance from the NTA, published on Monday, said the prohibition was being taken for safety reasons and to help prevent the risk of combustion on board buses, trams and trains.

The ban would include taking scooters on-board Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Go-Ahead Ireland, Iarnród Éireann and Luas services.

“The guidance is prompted by safety concerns in relation to many lithium-ion batteries which are commonplace in such devices,” it said in a statement.

“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.”

The ban takes effect from Monday, October 7, and will apply solely to e-scooters. It does not include e-bikes or mobility scooters.

Transport for Ireland explained that due to the vehicles being unregulated until the beginning of 2024, the quality control of their construction is ‘not as mature or well developed’ as e-bikes or mobility scooters.

Cities including Berlin, Barcelona and London have all already introduced similar restrictions, with the restriction in Ireland applying to all services under the NTA contract.

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