Editorial: E-scooter risks merit serious thought and proper enforcement of laws - Kilkenny Live

The exponential pace of technological advancement compared to the relatively sluggish process of drafting, passing, and implementing legislation means that, in modern society, stark gaps appear between new technologies and their regulation.

We see it in the digital sphere with the advent of the internet, AI and 'deepfakes’, and now on our roads (and footpaths, unfortunately) where e-scooters have become an ever-present reality. They are cheap, accessible, and easy to operate – so easy that a child could use one – and they do.

In Kilkenny City, you will regularly encounter youngsters flying around the place at speed on these vulnerable machines – no helmet, protective equipment, or reflective gear. They are a danger to other road users, to pedestrians, and to the riders themselves.

In the past fortnight alone, six children were on life support at Temple Street Hospital with traumatic brain injuries following e-scooter accidents. Doctors have described an ‘epidemic’ of serious brain injuries in children, and they have called for a total ban on e-scooter use.

Sadly, in recent days, a young life was lost in Carlow in an e-scooter accident. Less than two years ago, a young teenager was killed here in Kilkenny.

The number of road fatalities in Ireland has been trending down in recent years, largely due legislation, garda enforcement, and technological advancement – safer vehicles.

Ironically, technological advancement may now see this chart in a different direction. Mobile phone use while driving has been highlighted as a significant factor in careless driving and accidents. Now, the increasingly prevalent use of these e-scooters should be a growing cause of concern for all of us.

It is time now for a serious conversation about how to effectively regulate these vehicles, and how we protect vulnerable road users going forward.

FERRYBANK

Common sense appears to have prevailed in the long-running saga surrounding Ferrybank Shopping Centre, with Waterford City and County Council withdrawing its judicial review.

It should never have gone this far in the first place. It’s a shame the building has been left vacant so long, and any attempts to remedy this are welcomed.

The shopping centre can now proceed, providing a valuable piece of infrastructure for the people of Ferrybank and the South Kilkenny area. Waterford can focus on investing and developing its own areas, including the well-supported and financed North Quays project.