Ireland's first e-scooter sharing scheme hits the streets in Wexford today

IRELAND’S FIRST E-SCOOTER sharing scheme will be launched in Wexford today.

More than 50 e-scooters will be available on the streets of the town from today, in addition to a similar number of existing e-bikes provided by company Bolt.

The scheme is a collaboration between European escooter sharing platform Bolt and Wexford County Council.

Scooter sharing is similar to bike sharing schemes such as Bleeper or those seen in Ireland’s cities, with users picking up a scooter from the street and unlocking it with an app.

The devices were legalised by the government in May.

Minister’s welcome

Launching the scheme, Minister of State at the Department of Transport James Lawless said it should help to offer the public a better range of sustainable transport choices.

He said the Department of Transport recently published an advice note for local authorities to help them bring shared ‘micro mobility services’ to their own areas. This refers to lightweight vehicles such as electric bicycles or scooters.

“Since regulations were passed in May, providers can now work with local authorities to provide shared e-scooters that are compliant with regulations and adhere to best practice safety standards,” Lawless added.

The Fianna Fáil TD said that the scheme can make a “vital contribution” to the decarbonisation of transport emissions, a key priority for the government in meetings its climate targets.

Bolt already operates e-bike schemes in Wexford, Bray, Kilkenny, Carlow, Sligo, Portlaoise and Dun Laoghaire, and ride-hailing across Ireland.

Claire Goodwin, cycling and walking officer at Wexford County Council, said the escooter scheme should help to build on the existing e-bike scheme in Wexford.

“It’s important that we give people a range of different transport options that are sustainable, convenient, and affordable, and we’re excited to be home to Ireland’s first ever e-scooter scheme,” Goodwin said.

Research

According to market research carried out by Bolt for the scheme, 57 percent of people in the south-east think that e-scooters will help them visit local businesses more frequently.

Goodwin said this means that the new escooter sharing scheme will “not only help people move around more easily”, but should also provide a boost to local business.

The survey also found that 62 percent of people in the region said that they think e-scooters will help them connect to existing public transport links, while 59 percent said the introduction of e-scooters would make them use their car less.

Head of public policy for Ireland at Bolt, Aisling Dunne said that scooters have the “potential to change towns and cities for the better” by encouraging a more sustainable and environmentally friendlier way to travel. They can also help to reduce car traffic and connect with existing transport networks.

“Bolt is the only operator that provides multi-modal transport in one app, allowing people to choose options that work best for them, and it is important that we create urban areas that work for people, reducing the need for personal cars,” Dunne said.

Lawless said it was important that shared e-scooters are “introduced in a safe and regulated manner” and gave congratulations to Wexford County Council for the initiative.

As reported by The Journal earlier this month, the world’s largest e-scooter sharing company backed away from plans to launch in Ireland because of a weight limit imposed by the government when it legalised the devices.

Lime, which operates in cities across Europe and the world, said it was “very disappointed” at the 25kg imposed by the government, which it says has ruled out models used across the international scooter sharing industry. The weight limit rules out certain newer models which have larger wheels, making scooters safer to ride on uneven ground.