Major UK holiday park BANS guests bringing popular gadget over ‘explosion’ risk – find out if you’ll be affected
A HOLIDAY park owner has become the first to ban e-scooters as a “major explosion risk”.
John Chappell, chief executive of Ellis Bros Group, which owns four parks in Lincolnshire, fears holidays could end in tragedy because of the scooters.
The ban covers Skegness Water Leisure Park, Greenacres, Waterford Holiday Park, St Michael’s Park and Nursery Bungalow.
Mr Chappell said: “There’s a growing issue of fire safety around how e-scooters are stored and charged up.
“With high-pressure gas cylinders stored adjacent to caravans, it becomes a major explosion risk.”
He was also worried about children using scooters unsupervised, and underlined there had been “several near misses” at the sites.
“Nobody wants a tragedy on holiday. It’s protecting people from, potentially, very nasty accidents,” he continued.
“It’s not to try to spoil their holiday. These things are, potentially, very dangerous.
“Some people – a minority of people – don’t seem to understand the need to supervise children using them.”
The group’s sites are all on the Lincolnshire coast, including in Ingoldmells, famed for its arcades and funfairs.
The British Holiday & Home Parks Association said it issued e-scooter guidance to its members last year.
“It is perfectly permissible in the park rules to ban e-scooters,” a spokesperson said.
By law, e-scooters are classed as motor vehicles, and riders need to have a licence and insurance.
Lincolnshire Police said: “It’s not currently possible to get insurance for privately owned e-scooters.
“This means it’s illegal to use them on the road or in public spaces.”