Rail operator Northern is introducing a ban on all e-scooters, hoverboards and e-skateboards across its trains and stations.
The ruling, which comes into effect tomorrow, is due to the potential fire risk posed by the lithium batteries in these devices, which can overheat and catch fire.
It will affect people using the line between Leeds and York that runs through Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Electric wheelchairs and e-bikes are exempt from the ban – as are mobility scooters for those with access needs, as long as they are registered with the train operator’s Mobility Scooter Permit Scheme – which checks devices by a range of criteria to make sure they are safe to use on-board.Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said:
“The safety of our customers and staff is our number one priority.
“As these devices have become more and more popular, so have the horror stories of lithium batteries overheating and catching fire.
“Most of these devices are not actually approved for use in the UK – and from 1 December our staff will refuse travel to anyone attempting to board one of our trains, or access one of our stations with such a device.”
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Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with nearly 2,000 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.
On Sunday, December 11, Northern’s new timetable comes into effect and all customers, especially those who have made regular journeys on the same train times, are advised to check online journey planners before they travel to ensure their service operates at the same time and calls at the same stations.
Police arrested a man on an e-scooter in Harrogate this week on suspicion of dealing cannabis and ketamine.
According to North Yorkshire Police, the man failed to stop when asked by officers on Monday night.
Two officers found drugs after catching up with the man, who was then arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs.
A police statement today added:
“Once in custody, tests showed him to be under the influence of drugs, so he was further arrested for a further offence of driving whilst under the influence.
“He’s now been released on conditional bail whilst enquiries continue.”
E-scooters are similar to regular scooters but have small, electric motors.
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E-scooters: scourge of pedestrians or saviour of transport in Harrogate?
E-scooters have been described as both an innovative solution to congestion and air pollution and a danger to pedestrians.
The Stray Ferret published a letter from reader Richard Abbott over the weekend, who said he recently dodged out the way of an e-scooter rider near the Stray.
He called them a “blight” and a “scourge” yet they are likely to become a more familiar sight in places like Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon in the coming years.
The government is trialing the use of rented e-scooters in over 30 areas across the UK until August. It thinks they could encourage people to use their cars less and help the country’s green recovery post-covid.
What are e-scooters?
E-scooters are similar to regular scooters but have small, electric motors.
Over 100 cities across the world operate scooter-sharing schemes, including Paris and Barcelona, where you can hire one for around €19 an hour.
E-scooters are sold in the UK online and in shops, and they can cost anywhere from just over £100 to £1,000.
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Are they legal?
It is against the law to use a privately owned e-scooter in the Harrogate district. Riders risk a £300 fine, six penalty points on their licence or having their e-scooter impounded.
The government said it will make a decision on legalising e-scooters in the rest of the UK after the trial ends in August.
For the trial, e-scooters are allowed on the road and in cycle lanes provided users have a full or provisional car, motorcycle or moped licence. They are still banned on the pavement and must not go above 15.5mph.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said it was not aware of e-scooter use being a particularly prevalent issue and added the number of recorded incidents last year was in single figures across the whole of the county.
Sustainable or dangerous?
Mr Abbott’s letter to the Stray Ferret provoked a lively response on the Stray Ferret’s social media, with some heralding them as a sustainable transport option for the future while others were fearful of injuries.
One person said on Twitter:
“They are dangerous, they use both the pavements, precincts and roads, going too fast.”
Another said:
“Depends on who’s riding it and how. If used with consideration for others I think they’d be a useful sustainable transport option that takes up less room than a car. If they were legal I’d get one for sure. Far cheaper than an electric bike.”
With the number of e-scooter riders set to increase, the debate is likely to intensify in the years ahead.