ABC Council is to seek an urgent meeting with PSNI amid growing fears that someone will be killed unless action is taken to deal with the growing misuse of e-scooters and e-scramblers across the borough.
There was cross-party support for such a call, which came from the Lord Mayor Stephen Moutray at April’s full council sitting.
Previously, Sinn Fein Councillor Jude Mallon had requested council explore the potential for a dedicated site for the use of e-scooters and e-scramblers.
While Alderman Moutray was “content” with such a suggestion, he felt now was the time to take action and seek “clarity” from police.
He said: “In relation to what’s going on across this borough at the moment, these e-scooters and these e-scramblers are becoming a public safety hazard and have over this past couple of years. And to me, it’s getting worse all the time.
“They’re a source of anti-social behaviour. They’re operating at high speeds on footpaths and roads. There’s a lack of regulation, inadequate enforcement.
“Very recently there was the death of a lady in Dublin. How long are we going to be around here until someone’s injured or killed with these in our borough?”.
Lord Mayor Moutray proposed calling an “urgent meeting of this council” with the PSNI to “obtain clarity as to what the law is on e-scooters and e-scramblers.”
Sinn Fein Councillor Keith Haughian seconded the proposal and said his colleague, Councillor Catherine Nelson, had previously raised it at a meeting of the policing and community safety partnership.
“They are a blight on the community and I think your proposal is to be welcomed,” he said. “I think this is something we need to get a grip of. It is an issue, as you pointed out, that goes far beyond local areas in our borough, but it is something we need to get our heads around.”
DUP Alderman Mark Baxter also offered his support and asked that such discussions with police be “widened out a bit” to cover “unlicensed scramblers”, particularly coming into this time of year.
“We had it even in Donacloney the other night, where there was a scrambler tearing up and down the road, no lights, 11 o’clock at night, and these scooters flying through the middle of the village,” he said, “so it’s even going out into the leafy suburbs of the area I represent.”
Alliance Councillor Peter Lavery was glad to see “cross-party agreement” on the matter.
“I think it was recently debated at the Northern Ireland Assembly as well,” he added. “I think the law is clear in terms of outside of private land they are illegal. People have been injured, both pedestrians being hit by some of these things and then some of the users themselves.”
Councillor Lavery said police had recently seized a number of these types of vehicle in the Craigavon area.
“At least there is sort of a proactive approach on the ground, but it is a growing issue and something needs done before someone is seriously injured or worse,” he said.
Lord Mayor Moutray said he was not aware of the seizure by police but welcomed it.
“I still think there’s a lot of grey areas around this here so if we’re content we’ll initiate a meeting with the police as soon as possible,” he added.
