The government has announced a new comprehensive Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023, designed to make roads safer, speed up the roll-out of public transport, walking and cycling infrastructure and clarify the legal issues around e-scooters and bikes. 

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and Minister of State with special responsibility for road safety Jack Chambers, have welcomed the signing into law of the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 by President Michael D. Higgins.

One of the most significant provisions in the Act is the resolution of legal barriers to e-scooters. E-scooters, while a regular part of the streetscape, are not yet legal to use on public roads. This Act introduces a new class of vehicle called Personal Powered Transporters (PPTs). Regulations can now be commenced to classify e-scooters as PPTs, allowing the Minister to specify appropriate power, speed and weight values, along with other technical and usage requirements for e-scooters. Until the regulations are in place, e-scooters will remain illegal for use on public roads. Once the regulations are in place, those that do not comply with them, will be illegal to be used on public roads. The rules should be fully in place by the year end. 

The Act will also put e-bikes on a legal footing. E-bikes with a maximum power output of 250W and a motor cut-off speed of 25km/hr will be treated as bicycles under Irish law. E-bikes that can go faster than 25km/hr or have a power output greater than 250W, and those that can operate without pedalling, will now be classified as an e-moped. Under the new categorisation, e-mopeds will be seen as motorised vehicles, which will require a licence, registration, tax and insurance to be used on Irish roads.

The Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 creates a new vehicle category, powered personal transporters, including e-scooters and future micro-mobility devices as needed. PPTs do not require registration, motor tax, insurance or a driving licence to use on Irish roads.

The power, weight and design speed of PPTs are capped at:
Maximum continuous rated power output of up to 500 W
Maximum net weight of 25 kg (battery included)
Maximum design speed of up to 25 km/hr

While the 2023 Act specifies these values for all PPTs, the Act allows the Minister to vary them in regulations for particular PPT types.

Any type of PPT will not be legal to use until specific regulations are in place.