Ronse (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Mayor Ignace Michaux of Ronse is addressing unsafe e-scooter use through educational campaigns in schools and increased police checks, emphasising safety rules such as age restrictions and no sidewalk riding.
As VRT News reported, in Ronse, East Flanders province, Belgium, citizens are becoming frustrated with the irresponsible use of electric scooters, so the local authorities took action. Mayor Ignace Michaux (CD&V Teamronse) said that police have had several complaints about irresponsible behaviour by some users of e-scooters, calling their actions “cowboy-like.”
He mentioned that these riders are frequently observed speeding, disregarding traffic regulations, and, more concerningly, utilising sidewalks as personal lanes. This behaviour poses significant safety risks, particularly to pedestrians, including children and the elderly. The mayor emphasised that such unsafe practices are unacceptable and that measures must be implemented to ensure public safety and restore order on the streets.
How is Ronse addressing reckless E-scooter use and ensuring safety?
To meet the challenges presented by electric scooters, Ronse city is introducing a 2-pronged strategy of education and enforcement. Besides handing out informative flyers in schools, the police in the area will be boosting their presence and vigilance to ensure that traffic rules are obeyed.
The educational campaign, which begins with the distribution of flyers, aims to inform young people about the proper use of e-scooters and the importance of adhering to traffic rules. The police will be stepping up their efforts with increased checks, particularly during peak times such as before and after school hours, and in the afternoons.
This deployment is intended to target areas and times where scooter use is most prevalent. The mayor emphasised that this dual approach of education and enforcement is designed to foster safer habits among young scooter users and reduce incidents, thereby enhancing the safety of all road users in Ronse.
The regulations regarding the use of electric scooters are straightforward but necessary for safety, officials said. Individuals should be at least 16 to operate one, and they can’t travel any faster than 25 kilometres an hour. The scooters don’t belong on sidewalks. They can only have one rider on them, meaning no passengers are permitted.
They mentioned that scooters need to have working lights so people can see them, especially when it’s dark. The city is telling young people and their parents about these rules through schools. The city will take action against those who don’t follow the rules. By teaching people the rules and enforcing them, Ronse wants to make the streets and sidewalks safer for everyone.
