Call for urgent action on e-scooters and paddle craft

NABO (The National Association of Boat Owners) has sent the following letter to the Canal & River Trust expressing safety concerns regarding the growth in the number of e-scooters and unpowered craft.

AT OUR recent NABO Council meeting I was asked to contact you to raise a few issues of immediate concern. We are naturally delighted to be back on our boats and we all are making extensive use of them. However, our members have raised some safety concerns, supported by my own observations, where we believe that urgent attention from the Canal & River Trust is required. 1. e-scooters

We are aware of your present statement regarding these but believe that the situation requires urgent action. Personally I became aware of the problem a few weeks ago on the little Mon & Brec. Moored up near Goytre Wharf we were staggered to watch an e-scooter tearing past us several times, the person wearing headphones playing loud music, totally unaware of his surroundings, riding at well on 20mph.

Just fortunately there was nobody close on the towpath, but we watched him ride through a bridgehole at this speed – if anyone had been coming the other way, I dread what would have happened. I tried to stop him on one of his trips but with a few expletives, he just dashed past.

I then had a similar experience to this on the K&A. I spoke to the person who was not at all aware that he shouldn’t be riding on the towpath but saw no reason why he shouldn’t and, likewise, saw no reason why he had to control his speed – he boasted he could easily do 20mph!

Members reported similar behaviour recently on the Staffs and Worcs. We appreciate that many boaters have electric cycles but e-scooters should be treated as vehicles and represent a growing safety risk. 2. Kayaks/paddleboards/canoes etc. Post-lockdown there would appear to be an increasing number who are purchasing these, especially the cheap lightweight plastic blow-up canoes and paddleboards. I would assume that most of these folk are not aware either that they need a licence or have never bothered to look at the advice on their use from yourselves or British Canoeing?

Indeed, again on the trip boat, I had a couple insisting that I allowed them to share a lock with me! (I didn’t, of course!) I have had the same experience on the Mon & Brec. Members are increasingly reporting their concerns.

These new users seem unaware of the difficulties boaters have both seeing and navigating around them. There really

needs to be a programme of education – no wonder there have been problems in tunnels etc.! I fear there is an accident just waiting to happen.

Dr M G Rodd

Chairman, National Association of Boat Owners