Dublin City Council Issue Warning Over Safety Of Rickshaws

Dublin City Council has issued a public advisory notice warning of safety concerns when using rickshaws.

The vehicles, which often use motors, are a highly popular mode of transport for people in the city centre late at night, with Grafton Street chockablock with rickshaws every weekend.

The notice says that “Dublin City council wishes to advise members of the public, for their own safety and the safety of others, that rickshaws operating in Dublin City are not regulated by DCC or otherwise."

“Some rickshaw operators appear not to have public liability insurance,” it added.

There have been a number of incidents with people falling out of the rickshaws and collisions with other vehicles, but in these cases it is up to the individual to be held accountable for any personal injury damages as the rickshaw would not have insurance to cover any costs.

Dublin City Council has previously stated it hopes to ban the rickshaws all together, but no move has yet been made.

Green Party councillor Ciaran Cuffe told TheJournal.ie that “rickshaws are a real difficulty in in Dublin because they’re unregulated."

“I don’t necessarily think that rickshaws need to be banned, but those who use them should should ensure that they’re insured,” he said.

“We do need to regulate these vehicles – they need to have insurance, and lights, and at least some element of driver training,” he added.