ETA canvases public opinion on making tandem mobility scooters road & pavement legal
The Environmental Transport Association want to help get the law changed on the legality of tandem mobility scooters being used on pavements and roads in the UK and are canvassing for public opinion.
In a bid to drum up support for a legal change, the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) is asking members of the public to share their story on its website about how a tandem mobility scooter would help them.
The ETA offers breakdown and road rescue for mobility scooter users, as well as cyclists and motorists. Unlike the AA or RAC, which are perceived as pro-car, the ETA aims to raise awareness of the impact that transport has on the environment and help individuals to make positive changes in their travel habits.
At present, tandem mobility scooters are only legal on private land as they do not fall under the ‘invalid vehicle’ classification.
Currently, the Department for Transport’s states that a mobility scooter and a powered wheelchair are both considered to be an ‘invalid carriage’, defined under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. The term “invalid carriage” applies to a vehicle, whether mechanically propelled or not, constructed or adapted for use for the carriage of one person, being a person suffering from some physical defect or disability.
The ETA argue that a tandem mobility scooter is no different from a conventional one-person-only model – apart from having a stretched chassis and additional seat. The Association also contends that tandem scooters would be particularly useful for older couples – especially when one person is no longer able to operate a scooter on their own.
