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Dubai: Ban on e-scooters and e-bikes in JBR for safety reasons

Battery-powered mobility devices are being restricted on the ground and plaza levels of The Walk

Published: Thu 8 Aug 2024, 3:58 PM

Updated: Thu 8 Aug 2024, 8:47 PM

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All e-scooters and e-bikes are now prohibited in the Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) community to enhance the safety of residents and visitors. Dubai Community Management confirmed to Khaleej Times on Thursday that this decision aims to prevent accidents and ensure a safer environment.

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Battery-powered mobility devices are being restricted on the ground and plaza levels of The Walk. Notices in Arabic and English with crossed-out icons of e-bikes and e-scooters have been prominently installed in the area.

Photo: Simone Majocchi/KT reader

Photo: Simone Majocchi/KT reader

“The vibrant tourist hotspot and family-friendly community JBR has restricted the use of e-scooters on the ground and plaza levels of The Walk. This measure aims to ensure the safety of residents and visitors, prevent accidents and maintain the pedestrian-friendly appeal of the area,” Dubai Community Management said in a statement.

‘Walk without fear’

Residents in the community and frequent visitors to the tourist area welcomed the ban.

Italian expat Simone Majocchi, who shared photos of the notices, told Khaleej Times: "I live at one end of Dubai Marina, and I have the habit of walking the loop made by Marina Walk and JBR walk. I’m glad Dubai Community Management has banned anything on wheels from the walkway that goes from JBR 1 to Roxy Cinemas The Beach JBR.

“The area is flourishing with new shops and restaurants that occupy a significant space of the walkway, reducing the width to a couple of meters in some places. With this new ban (on e-scooters), I can regain my peace of mind while walking.”

Calls for tougher action

Dubai residents have long raised concerns and called for stricter rules for e-scooter riders to ensure public safety.

Jordanian expat Mohammed Abunael shared earlier his own experience of seeing people riding e-scooters without proper gear and engaging in reckless riding. He said: “It’s a nightmare for me because I'm always worried about getting hit by an e-scooter rider. Their riding patterns are unpredictable, and some riders are extremely reckless.”

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has banned e-scooters inside the Metro since March 1 this year. In a previous statement sent to Khaleej Times, RTA said: (We have) prohibited the carrying of e-scooters and micro-mobility devices that are battery operated onboard Dubai metro and Dubai tram due to their potential of catching fire.” The ban is enforced until further notice and following a review of safety regulations.

Only non-electric scooters and foldable bicycles without batteries are permitted and can be placed into the designated luggage space inside the trains of Dubai Metro and Dubai Tram.

Robot to detect violations

Back in March, the RTA—in collaboration with Dubai Police—tested an AI-powered robot that will detect violations committed by bicycle and electric scooter users along the beach of Jumeirah 3.

The robot was used to identify a range of violations, including failure to adhere to personal safety protocols like wearing helmets, scooters parked in unauthorised areas, multiple users on e-scooters, and riding them in pedestrian-only zones. No fines have been issued yet to erring riders but the violations are punishable with fines of up to Dh300.

Should e-scooters have license plates?

Road safety experts have suggested having a number plate or unique ID to identify the e-scooter. Currently, e-scooters are not required to be registered, although all riders are mandated to obtain a permit from the RTA.

"The idea of registering e-scooters is to help raise awareness that they are not toys but legitimate vehicles taking part in road traffic. This, in turn, will hopefully result in more considerate and safe riding," noted Thomas Edelmann, founder and managing director of RoadSafetyUAE.

There is no updated information on the number of e-scooters across Dubai. However, based on the statistics released by RTA in November last year, the authority issued more than 63,500 e-scooter permits since it became a requirement in April 2022.

Only those 16 years and above can ride e-scooters; permits are granted after completing training and awareness courses available on the RTA website. However, individuals with valid driving licenses are not required to take these courses, and those 15 and below can only use manual scooters and bicycles.

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