Calls to ban e-scooters in Longford

A councillor has called on Longford County Council to impose a ban on e-scooters across the county.

Councillor Paul Ross put forward the suggestion after referring to a recent incident in which a teenager was hospitalised with serious injuries following an e-scooter crash on the Battery Road.

Addressing the chamber, Cllr Ross said, “I think it's time for all local authorities, but I speak on behalf of Longford, to bring forward a complete ban on e-scooters in the county.”

The councillor added that the e-scooters were “unregulated” and “unmanageable”. Councillor Padraig McNamara concurred with his colleague’s proposal, recalling a near-miss incident he had witnessed only a week prior.

He said, “There was an elderly person walking out of the post office there and it (the e-scooter) had gone by so fast that by the time I got out, they were gone out of sight. That person could have ended up dead with the speed they were going by on footpaths. So I would like to endorse that notice of motion from Paul in relation to that issue.”

He added, “In relation to what has happened in Longford, we need to be a step ahead and try and show leadership from Longford that we won't accept it and that we'd like to see change for safety for our residents.”

Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Gerry Hagan agreed with the idea, adding, “I think every one of us here around this chamber are in support of that and we'd all love to see a ban on these e-scooters which are causing undue and untoward annoyance for motorists, pedestrians and people in general.”

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