Mayor encourages E-scooter users and bike riders to exhibit responsible behaviours on local streets
RESPONSIBLE RIDING
Local Mayor Michael Kerr has echoed community sentiments after a Newsport story just days ago discussed the alleged irresponsible behaviour of a minority of Douglas Shire E-scooter riders and bike users near pedestrians on local footpaths.
Just days ago a local resident contacted Newsport to detail two recent close calls with riders of scooters and bikes on Macrossan street. The person claims on both occasions they were nearly completely knocked over.
The results of an ensuing online poll conducted by Newsport suggested 109 residents or 74.15% of voters from a total 147 responses, feel or have previously felt unsafe in recent times in the proximity of fast-moving e-scooters and bike riders that utilise local Douglas footpaths next to walking traffic.
“I, myself, have concerns about those across the Douglas Shire using e-scooters and bikes unsafely,” Mr Kerr told Newsport.
“Personally, when I see two kids riding a scooter, with no helmets, flying down the footpath, that is a concern to me.
“There’s going to be an incident at some point, from a Council’s perspective though, we can’t stop people from riding personal scooters, that’s up to the Police.
“As it stands, you’re not allowed to ride a scooter on the road, if it’s a main road, that’s law, so they have to use footpaths.
“We have been working constantly in growing our footpaths.
“We now have the wider footpaths that extends from the Marina all the way down to the Sheraton roundabout.
“We’ve got applications to extend that all the way down to IGA, so it will be a wider footpath the whole way through to the IGA – in time, that will fix that corridor up.”
The Mayor reinforced that he is listening to and taking seriously, community concerns about the matter.
“Unfortunately, you’ll never be able to stop forms of irresponsible behaviour,” he said.
“I see cases where a Dad is on the scooter and he’s got the five year-old son in front of him (on the same scooter) and both of their helmets are sitting in the basket.
“If I was a parent there would be no way in hell I’d be doing that.
“When it comes to the safety of local pedestrians and their safety around e-scooters and bike users on local footpaths we’re absolutely trying to do everything we can from a local Council perspective to get things right.”