Salem Bans E-Scooters In Downtown On Weekends Through October

SALEM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — October is the busiest time of the year in the Witch City—but despite the spooky season, what officials are really scared of is the possibility of e-scooter riders colliding with pedestrians.

That's why they've banned the use of the scooters on weekends through the rest of the month in the city's downtown.

Police Chief Mary Butler said the city is looking out for everyone's safety.

"We have huge crowds that come, some of them are really first-time visitors here," she said. "The first-time visitors that we actually have, they're really focused on where am I, what am I doing, looking at maps, trying to get their bearings and where they're at, and I think the combination between those two could just create a conflict that we'd rather not have."

Butler said that, on the weekends, e-scooter riders will be able to walk their scooters through the blacked-out downtown area.

"We know that people use them for commuting purposes, we know that Salem State kids use them in between campuses and as a means to get into the downtown," she said. "So, that'll get them very close to the downtown before it gets too congested, at which point they can stop their ride and walk the rest of the way."

During the week, scooter speeds are being capped at five miles per hour.

WBZ NewsRadio's Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports

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