Tag Archive: Ireland

  1. Many e-scooters and e-bikes to be “treated just like bikes” under new Irish law

    Comments Off on Many e-scooters and e-bikes to be “treated just like bikes” under new Irish law

    Source: Newstalk

    New Irish road safety legislation will categorise e-scooters and e-bikes similarly to traditional manual bikes, according to Irish transport consultant Conor Faughnan.

    The Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 was signed into law in June 2023, and has given the green light for regulations to govern e-scooters for the first time. Although the comprehensive regulations are not yet available, Faughnan told The Pat Kenny Show that this legislation will treat most electric bikes and e-scooters the same as regular pedal bikes.

    “In the primary legislation, we know the maximum speed [for e-scooters] is going to be 25 kilometres per hour. The new law says an e-bike is grand – if it’s a light vehicle, if it’s 25km/h, then for all legal purposes, it’s a bike. Whenever you see in the law “bicycle” think “e-bike” – they have the same rules,” explained Faughnan.

    E-bikes typically have average speeds ranging from 20 to 25 kilometres per hour, whereas e-scooters have an average speed between 25 to 48 kilometres per hour. According to Faughnan, this new legislation around the speed and power of electric scooters and bikes follows a trend in most European countries.

    Faughnan emphasized that integrating legislation for e-bikes and e-scooters with regular bicycles will contribute to the safe operation of these electric vehicles, and people shouldn’t be intimidated by their seemingly faster speeds.

    “If you just forget the engineer or the motor for the moment, [fast cyclists] exist already, imagine the guys zipping down the hills in their spandex, cycling at very fast speeds. In town, a lot of new cycle tracks… they have plastic bollards, and the cyclists are single-file. That’s quite frustrating if you’re on a big bike and you’ve got a lot of steam or you’re trying to get into town, and there’s a slow-moving mum with kids on a ‘trike’. It’s no different really whether the bike is e-powered. The simple rule of thumb is ‘it’s a bike’, until it gets too big and then it’s a moped.”

  2. Ireland announces increase in Cargo Bike support under Bike to Work scheme

    Comments Off on Ireland announces increase in Cargo Bike support under Bike to Work scheme

    Source: Gov.ie

    Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has welcomed the decision to include a new higher limit for Cargo Bikes in the revised Bike to Work Scheme announced this month as part of the Finance Bill.

    The updated scheme sees a subsidy increase to €3,000 for Cargo Bikes – in recognition of their higher initial cost. Previously the available limit was linked to that available for bicycles (€1,250) and electric-assist bicycles (€1,500). Therefore, support for Cargo Bike purchases has now been doubled.

    Minister Ryan shared, “This increase will help make cargo bikes more affordable for those choosing to purchase a new bike under the bike-to-work scheme. Cargo bikes have become more popular in recent years with many people using them to bring their kids to school, for shopping and for work purposes as delivery vehicles. The cost factor, however, is an impediment to many people who may want to buy one. We hope that by increasing the limits for cargo bikes, more people will be able to choose them as a more sustainable way to get around.

    “We also need to see our courier and delivery companies moving at a faster pace from vans and trucks to cargo bikes and we are looking at ways of supporting this transformation, specifically for the last mile element of their deliveries.

    “The coming years will see a re-allocation of road space away from private vehicles towards public transport and space for people walking and cycling and cargo bikes will play a large part in how we use our roads. I look forward to seeing many more cargo bikes on our roads over the coming years, helped by this decision today to make them more affordable.”

    The Bike to Work Scheme aims to encourage the public to cycle to and from work. The initiative allows employees to give part of their salary for a bicycle and/or safety equipment, which should be used primarily for travelling to and from work. The purchase is not taxable benefit-in-kind and can be made in any shop.

Campaign success

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

Member profile

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.