My, what a surprise!  An all-party committee of MP’s has decided that action must be taken on mobility scooters.  At Mobility Compare we thought the original decision to hold an all-party enquiry in February – which we wrote about here – was signal enough that ‘something must be done’.  Obviously not, and after many weeks of deliberating the committee has come out and said….err…. ‘something must be done’.

While not wishing to be patronising, but we will anyway, perhaps the next time Parliament holds a committee into disability and mobility issues, it should first come and have a coffee with us at Mobility Compare.  One cappuccino later and we’ll leave them in no doubt that ‘something must be done’ – all for the price of £2 and a muffin thrown in for good measure.  They can then save the money and spend it on castle moats, duck houses, chandeliers and a few tonnes of manure.  Oh, they already have.

Good advice for a £2 cappuccino and a muffin

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The committee (The House of Commons Transport Committee to be exact) has said that with 300,000 scooters on British roads there is a clear need for scooter rules and possibly a fit-to-drive test.  Quite so.  With Class 3 scooters able to motor along at speeds of 8mph on main roads, the thought of someone seeing no more than three yards or not being able to remember whether they are in Hampstead or Digbeth rings alarm bells.

The BBC went on to quote two incidents – the first was the tragic death of 90 year old Lilian Macey and the second an injury to a toddler in Doncaster.  That’s hardly a roll call of dishonour compared to the 600,000 Iraqi’s quoted by the Lancet as being killed in Iraq or the 4,600 ‘unexpected deaths’ in UK hospitals.  Still, I suppose it makes the BBC’s copy more ‘alarming’.  But one death?  Oh dear.  As many BBC presenters die each year from strange solitary sex games.  I digress.

On a more positive tone, we note that the House of Commons Transport Committee has launched a public consultation ending on May 28th.  That’s a clever move, and an intelligent one at that, because it allows individuals, scooter users and manufacturers to put forward their own considered opinions on the matter.  That’s a good thing for all concerned and we applaud the move.

Our view?  Yes, scooter rules need to be clarified and a fit-to-drive test needs to be made mandatory for Class 3 scooters (road going).  We also feel voluntary training courses should also be made available either by the Government or manufacturers themselves.  The Government would also do well to remember that mobility scooter users are some of the most vulnerable in society and should not be subjected to severe, draconian legislation.  Tread lightly please.