Battery Power

In the UK mobility scooter sales are soaring, with overcrowding and traffic jams becoming a problem in certain areas. The battery powered scooters are supposed to be driven solely by the disabled, however a new breed of tarmac terror has appeared in the shape of the severely lazy. Questions are being asked in the corridors of power as to why comparatively young and healthy people are now using mobility scooters. Many owners are aged or disabled but there are growing numbers of users who are not. This is pro
August 10, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
In the UK mobility scooter sales are soaring, with overcrowding and traffic jams becoming a problem in certain areas. The battery powered scooters are supposed to be driven solely by the disabled, however a new breed of tarmac terror has appeared in the shape of the severely lazy. Questions are being asked in the corridors of power as to why comparatively young and healthy people are now using mobility scooters.

Many owners are aged or disabled but there are growing numbers of users who are not. This is prompting calls for proper legislation. Top speeds vary from 6.4-12.8km/h, while the scooters are capable of transporting people weighing up to 133kg, but there is no requirement for a licence, insurance or roadworthiness checks and nor are users subject to alcohol tests. As mobility scooters do not have to be registered, accurate numbers are hard to determine but the UK is now thought to have more mobility scooters than any other European nation. According to the UK’s 5432 Department for Transport, there may be 250,000-300,000 mobility scooters in use across the UK, compared with just 70,000 five years ago. And a mobility scooter powered by a supercharged petrol engine was seized by officials in South Yorkshire. The vehicle had been ridden at speeds of up to 100km/h before the 24-year-old rider of the machine was stopped.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Mexico City’s new tunnel link being comnpleted
    July 14, 2017
    A new twin tube tunnel in Mexico City will help reduce the city’s chronic congestion problem, which is particularly acute at peak travel periods. The tunnel is located at Mixcoac in the south west of the city and should be ready by August 2017. The new twin bore tunnel link will reduce traffic jams on the city’s Circuito Interior urban highway, which handles up to 300,000 vehicles/hour at peak travel periods. Mexico City’s traffic jams are notorious and journey times can be infuriatingly long at times.
    Read More
  • Solutions to road user charging
    April 11, 2012
    In this second of a two-part article, Jack Opiola, demonstrates that the imposition of a government provided GPS mandate to levy mileage tax could be eliminated by offering motorists transparent choices regarding their manner of compliance. The key to a mileage tax system without a GPS mandate is through offering motorists choices. Most motorists are consumers who are comfortable with selecting products and services from among options available in the marketplace. A mileage tax can be built upon this reali
    Read More
  • Solutions to road user charging
    February 28, 2012
    In this second of a two-part article, Jack Opiola, demonstrates that the imposition of a government provided GPS mandate to levy mileage tax could be eliminated by offering motorists transparent choices regarding their manner of compliance. The key to a mileage tax system without a GPS mandate is through offering motorists choices. Most motorists are consumers who are comfortable with selecting products and services from among options available in the marketplace. A mileage tax can be built upon this realit
    Read More
  • Innovation in road design and management software
    February 17, 2012
    The emphasis on data processing and re-use, continues to grow in the development of design and management software. The interoperability of software, the need to handle and process larger amounts of data, and re-use and retention of data sets from one task to another have been a growing emphasis in the past few years. It allows infrastructure companies to get better value from expensively collected information and to focus more on the whole life cycle of projects.
    Read More

Highlighted Content