Transport providers call for ‘radical rethink’ in policies

Car, bike and electric scooter providers have called for a “radical rethink” in how the Republic’s policies relate to alternative forms of transport.

The group of providers wrote to Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party to welcome the commitment in their programme for government to legislate for electric scooters, but also to ask for a rethink on how buses and trains are managed to reduce clusters of commuters at peak times.

The group, which includes Free Now, Bleeperbike, Zip Mobility and Zeus, called for fewer private cars on the road and suggested that people should be encouraged to leave their cars at home.

Alan Fox, general manager of Free Now – a business which sells taxi journeys on its app – said alternative modes of transport were needed to enable people “get around without putting more private cars on the streets”.

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The programme for government has committed to “legislate for e-scooters and e-bikes”. Electric scooters are not regulated in Ireland and are illegal on public roads.

In a statement, the transport providers said: “Covid-19 has changed how people will travel and many are seeking alternatives that allow social distancing. E-scooters and other forms of micro-mobility can support this.”