Ban on carrying electric scooters on the train It came as a bucket of cold water to the users who use this means of transportation every day. They can’t find an explanation “neither logical nor justified” Renfe’s measure, which came into force on December 12. The measure affects “thousands of people”, some of whom have had to manage not to leave the scooter at home and still be able to use it every day. Solution for many: leave the train and get on the bus, where this vehicle can be transported. This is the case of Rubén Suárez from Compostela, who has to travel to A Coruña every week for work. To stand against this “injustice” and seek a solution, together with other affected people, they formed an autonomous association to bring together more people in the same situation and oppose the Renfe and the Administration. “We will go as far as necessary,” he warns.
Until the Renfe ban came into effect, Rubén would take his scooter from his home in Santiago de Compostela to the city’s train station, catch the train there, and when he arrived in A Coruña, he would take his scooter back to improve his life. in the city: work, gym, entertainment… “Coruña is a city very well adapted to scooter use,” he says. But now the train station is no longer there. “This measure affects thousands of people” he assures. That’s why, together with other affected friends, he decided to found the Galicia Electric Scooter Users Association (Aspega). With this, they try to create a speaker that will appeal to their interlocutors. “We have tried to contact Renfe and have received no response so far,” he denounced, calling on the Spanish National Railway Network and administrations. “We will ask them sit and talk about this topic,” he explains. “We only have a problem with Renfe, the electric scooter can be transported by other vehicles such as buses or even planes. AND We cannot understand this ban, it is not justified“, To explain.
The Renfe board decided to ban access with electric scooters on both Cercanías and Regional trains, as well as Medium and High Speed and Long Distance trains. Dangerous situation caused by battery fires recorded on some public transport vehicles. An argument that does not convince users. “I have looked for data on people injured by scooters but there is nothing and such action cannot be taken because in the two incidents where scooters were manipulated they exploded,” he argues.
Because the association does not demand freedom in the use of electric scooters, on the contrary, it finds it necessary to regulate their use. “There is a lot left to organize and What needs to be done is to control and encourage good use.“, he argues. Aspega is already working on a proposed countermeasure to Xunta and Renfe that would present an alternative to the ban that “no user understands”. Its suggestions include requiring scooters to be carried in a fireproof cover on the train or requiring batteries to be sealed so they cannot be manipulated “You may even need a minimum license for scooters, a points license or MOT,” they say from this recently formed association.
“The association is still in its infancy, we are slowly moving forward, but we are already receiving messages from other affected users,” says Rubén Suárez, who defends the benefits of the electric scooter over the car. “I don’t have a car, I don’t need one and electric scooter helps take cars off the roads. They want us to reduce CO2 emissions and then ban the scooters that help achieve that goal. Apparently he’s public enemy number one. “As citizens, we should all be interested in regulating the use of electric scooters,” he says.
The movement to advocate Personal Mobility Vehicles (VMP) is spreading throughout Spain. In cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, users are gathering in front of the Renfe to express their rejection of the veto. An action that Aspega does not rule out taking. “Although the population in Galicia is more dispersed than in the larger cities, we will need to find enough people to organize demonstrations. But if things don’t go well, I’ll show myself alone if necessary”Suárez warns.
As a result, Aspega hopes to gain support and achieve its goal of lifting the ban on transporting electric scooters on Atlantic Axis trains. “It’s only a matter of time before they have to step back,” the affected person thinks.