Council to crack down on use of e-scooters in Mayo

E-scooters are becoming an increasingly acceptable and common sight across Mayo, but their use on public footpaths "will not be tolerated", members of Mayo County Council's Roads Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) have warned.

The committee has agreed to launch a social media awareness campaign highlighting the legal requirements for e-scooter users and the dangers associated with their misuse.

In the wake of the recent death of a man in his 40s following an e-scooter crash in County Galway, the SPC discussed the importance of ensuring that e-scooter users comply with the law to help prevent further tragedies.

Garda Inspector David Tiernan, who oversees roads policing in the Mayo, Roscommon and Longford Garda division, addressed the SPC and said that while e-scooters are not yet a major issue locally, they are becoming more common.

"It's not something major in this part of the world at the moment, but it is getting more common, and I've no doubt it will get more common," he said.

Inspector Tiernan said that, in his personal opinion, e-scooters should be banned altogether. He outlined that legislation introduced in 2024 set out the legal standards governing their use.

Under the regulations, users must be at least 16 years of age; e-scooters cannot exceed a maximum speed of 20km/h; must have a maximum continuous output of 400 watts; cannot carry passengers; and are prohibited from being used on footpaths.

He confirmed that local Gardaí had seized a number of e-scooters and issued fixed charge notices. He explained these were mainly due to e-scooters being used on public footpaths.

"We are well briefed from our national office on how to deal with these. There's more work that can be done in that regard, the Commissioner has hinted at more training," he added.

Inspector Tiernan said Gardaí also have powers under the Road Traffic Act 1994 to seize e-scooters where offences are committed.

“We have arrested someone in the Ballina area under drink driving laws,” he said. “We believe that once [an e-scooter] goes over 20km/h and it is over the maximum weight, it can be treated as a mechanically propelled vehicle. Which means it can be dealt with under general road traffic legislation.” 

He noted that the case in question is due to come before the courts.

“Education is key. We have the role of enforcement. It’s a huge problem in the big cities, we aren’t seeing it as much here, but they are out there. Personal responsibility is huge,” he added.

Cllr Michael Burke described e-scooters as a “plague on our society”, adding that he had received an "unbelievable" number of complaints from residents in Castlebar, Westport, Ballina, Claremorris and other parts of the county, particularly in relation to their use on footpaths.

“They are a way of transport for a lot of people, and the majority of people are using them in a proper way and are over 16,” he said.

However, the Ballinrobe councillor said he regularly sees underage users carrying passengers and travelling on footpaths and greenways, often coming dangerously close to pedestrians.

He called on Mayo County Council's Road Safety Office to install more signage highlighting the laws surrounding the use of e-scooters.

“Something is going to happen. Young teenagers, from 10 to 14, seem to be given this as a toy by Mammy and Daddy. It is the most lethal toy you can give anyone,” he said.

While acknowledging that they are a useful and environmentally friendly mode of transport, Cllr Burke said they must only be used in a "controlled environment" by people over the age of 16.

Cllr Richard Finn said he was not against e-scooters, noting they are common in many European countries and provide an important transport option in rural areas where public transport is limited. He highlighted that many people living on the outskirts of towns such as Claremorris rely on e-scooters to travel to work, particularly those working early starts or long shifts.

“We do not want to curtail the economic development of our small towns and villages. We want to move with the future and try to regulate as best as possible,” he said.

Cllr Finn said the issue ultimately "boils down to enforcement", while acknowledging Gardaí cannot be everywhere at once.

"The key issue is ensuring users stay off the footpath," he added.

Cllr Damien Ryan also described e-scooters as an "essential mode of transport" for many people, but said problems were being caused by a minority who are ignoring the law. He proposed that the SPC carry out a public awareness campaign to educate users on the rules governing e-scooters, and should utilise social media for this.

The council's Road Safety Officer Frances Mitchell supported the proposal and confirmed that the local authority would work with Gardaí on a social media awareness campaign, while also distributing safety information through local libraries and schools.

"We can get the information out to national and secondary schools for them to put that out to parents too," she said. "It's about awareness and building good habits."

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.