Austrian policy developments across the light electric mobility experience

Source: SAZ Bike, TheMayor.eu

Electric drive folding bikes are now included, for the first time, in a subsidy initiated by the Ministry of Climate Protection, in cooperation with the sports retail trade. Private individuals, companies, clubs and communities may now benefit from funding up to 600 Euros (450 Euros via the Ministry of Climate Protection and 150 Euros from the sports retail trade) towards folding electric or non-electric bikes, plus one bicycle service. Live since March 1 of this year, the initiative aims to make cycling more attractive to a wider group of riders, especially where folding e-bikes are more adaptable to multi-modal and public transportation. Indeed, for private individuals to be eligible for the subsidy, they need to show possession of an annual ticket for public transit. The folding bike itself must also be under 110 x 80 x 40cm folded.

Austria has seen further regulatory developments this month in the form of an announced overhaul of e-scooter regulations in Vienna. The main change will see the city set up 200 designated parking spaces for electric scooters, making it impossible to end your ride unless you park in an official space. The move is intended to better control pavement parking, and parking spaces will be situated on the road, next to WienMobil bike stations. Sites can park 8 to 10 scooters and there will be a parking ban with a radius of 100 metres around them. Outside of these stations, riders are instructed to park between cars.

Vienna already enacted a 500 scooter cap in its central zone and a 1,500 cap in districts 2 through 9 and 20, and in the future intends to designate red zones around hospitals, markets and other hotspots, where scooters will not work and parking violations will be enforced.