Creggan residents report ‘near misses’ involving electric scooters

Sinn Féin Councillor Emma McGinley has said people using electric scooters are endangering drivers and people walking on the local pavements.

The warning follows concerns raised by several residents in Creggan over close calls with scooters being driven dangerously.

Councillor McGinley said: “I have been contacted by a number of people who have raised concerns about several incidents in Creggan over the past few weeks involving electric scooters.

“There have been reports of these scooters being driven dangerously along footpaths causing people walking having to step out onto busy roads to avoid being hit.”

The local councillor said electric scooter users are also putting their own lives at risk on the local roads, describing one near miss reported to her by a constituent recently.

“In another incident a female driver was left badly shaken after someone driving one of these scooters came out of a side street and went right across the front of her car resulting in her having to break hard to again avoid a serious incident.

“The people using these scooters need to be acting responsibly and ensure they are driving safely to ensure no one is injured, or worse.”

Under current legislation in the north e-scooters can only be used off-road and are strictly prohibited from use on public roads or pavements.

However, it is clear the devices which propel their users along at average speeds of around 15-20 miles per hour - are in widespread use in the city.

The PSNI says the misuse of e-scooters can result in a fine or vehicle seizure.