Should Jersey finally give e-scooters the green light? A new report has revived the long-running debate over whether the zippy two-wheelers should be legal on public roads – and St Helier’s Road Committee now taking its first steps… or scoots… toward potential reform.
At yesterday’s meeting in the Town Hall, Roads Committee member Bernie Manning presented a report setting out several reasons to legalise e-scooters, ranging from traffic relief to environmental benefits and cost-efficiency.
He also noted that it could be beneficial for urban living, particularly among residents of high-rise flats or other areas without car parking spaces.
Mr Manning then used visual comparisons of e-vehicles currently allowed and banned in public spaces in Jersey, from electric assistance chairs to e-scooters with removable seats, arguing that “not much separates them”.
“Notable benefits” to responsible introduction
Under Jersey legislation, e-scooters are currently classified as ‘motor vehicles’ and are subject to the same licensing, registration and insurance requirements that apply to cars and motorbikes.
While it is perfectly legal to buy, sell and own e-scooters in Jersey, it is against the law to use them on public roads and in public spaces (which includes pavements and public cycle tracks).
Anyone using them in a public space could find themselves being arrested and potentially facing criminal charges, particularly if they are involved in an accident.
They are also treated entirely differently to e-bikes – something Mr Manning recommended to be changed in his report, stating legislating the two vehicles separately “creates inconsistencies”.
He concluded that if e-scooters are “introduced responsibly” to public spaces, especially St Helier, they would offer “notable benefits”.
A “complex” situation
However, like previous meetings, the subject was described as a “complex” situation, as one committee member described, as legalisation would mean vehicles that can reach speeds of around 20mph sharing routes with pedestrians, which have already caused multiple accidents.
Last year, a 12-year-old boy sustained a “significant head injury” following a collision involving a car and an electric scooter on La Route de St Aubin.
He had to be taken to Southampton Hospital for treatment.
The following day, another collision between an e-scooter and a car took place on Belvedere Hill in St Saviour, leaving a 26-year-old man in need of hospital treatment for a “serious” head injury.
A first step
Following the discussion, the Roads Committee voted to accept Mr Manning’s report as a preliminary step towards eventually debating a proposition to be put to the Constable of St Helier.
A committee member also confirmed a newly launched working-group has begun debating the matter itself.