Murcia Tram puts wheels in motion to ban electric scooters
Murcia City Council will ultimately decide if scooters pose a public health risk
Murcia Tram is in favour of banning electric scooters from its public transport system in light of several battery fires across the country, but the company has acknowledged that ultimately, Murcia City Council will have to make the decision to change the regulations.
According to Murcia Tram, the safety of passengers is their priority and they have advised the council that certain personal mobility vehicles should be prohibited.
From Tuesday December 12, all battery operated scooters will be banned from Renfe’s Commuter, High Speed and Long Distance trains but in Murcia, passengers are still allowed carry personal mobility vehicles onto trams outside rush hour.
But many other regional governments have also outlawed scooters, which have been known to spontaneously explode or burst into flame if their batteries are damaged or otherwise tampered with.
The Renfe ban will not only affect scooters but any electric or battery-powered mobility devices, with the exception of electric bikes or vehicles designed for people with reduced mobility.
While Renfe insists the blanket ban is in the best interests of passengers and no different to many other European cities, the Spanish Federation of Personal Mobility Vehicles (Fevemp) has “roundly” condemned the decision since it doesn’t cover other battery-operated devices like mobile phones and laptops.
“The recent isolated cases of urban public transport do not justify this measure. "Prohibition is not the solution,” added Fevemp.
This Christmas, travel on Murcia’s trams, as well as urban buses and bicycle hire, will be free of charge while road works are going on in the city centre.
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Image: Airbus SLC MEA
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