Tag Archive: electric scooter

  1. Paris ban on rental e-scooters comes into force

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    Source: 42Mag, S. Bornstein

    French capital becomes the first to place a ban on ‘floating’ e-scooters for rental from city streets, following an earlier public vote.

    The ban came into force on September 1st, based on the results of a public consultation in April, in which 89% of voters spoke in favour of the ban. However, the consultation only saw a 7.4% turnout, leading rental e-scooter operators to urge the city’s Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, to seek compromise.

    A spokesperson for e-scooter operator Lime said, “We remain hopeful that we can continue to work with Mayor Hidalgo to pass sensible regulations instead of a ban on e-scooters, and avoid a setback for Paris.”

    Some voters have voiced a preference for stricter regulations, rather than a blanket ban: “I don’t want scooters to do whatever they want on the sidewalks, but banning them is not the priority,” said Pierre Waeckerle, 35.

    Prior to the ban, Paris had a fleet of 15,000 e-scooters, and figures showed that 400,000 people travelled on them in the city in 2022. Complaints about pedestrians being jostled, haphazard parking and other annoyances had prompted the public consultation in April; French Transport Minister Clément Beaune, a possible candidate for mayor in 2026, said the vote was a huge democratic failure.

    Following introduction of e-scooters to Paris in 2018, three operators had been active in the city since 2020 on a three-year contract, under which certain restrictions were in place, including 20km/hour speed limits and designated scooter parking areas.

    The ban relates only to rental e-scooters; privately owned scooters are not affected.

    The head of the road safety agency Securite Routiere, Florence Guillaume, strongly encouraged scooter users to wear helmets, which have been made compulsory in some European cities.

  2. Europe’s shared e-scooter schemes’ fleets increased more than twofold in 2023

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    Source: ZAG Daily

    The number of shared e-scooters available in Europe has more than doubled from 285,000 in 2021 to 700,560 in 2022, according to statistics released by Micro-Mobility for Europe (MMfE).

    MMfE gathered the data from its eight shared micromobility members – Bird, Bolt, Dott, Hopp, Lime, Superpedestrian, Tier and Voi.

    Additionally, the association added numbers for e-bike fleets, which totalled 79,917 vehicles for 2022.

    Co-Chair of Micromobility for Europe, Pauline Aymonier, told Zag Daily the surge in vehicle availability clearly demonstrates how the demand for micromobility continues to grow throughout the EU, saying, “It highlights the industry’s positive impact on diversifying the urban mobility mix and offering alternatives to private car ownership.”

    Increasing demand

    MMfE’s report showed that the number of e-scooter trips has multiplied 17 times on the continent, from 14 million in 2021 to over 240 million in 2022. The total number of e-bike trips in 2022 stood at more than 28 million. 

    The distance covered by e-scooter trips also grew by almost 16 times, from 29 million to over 460 million kilometres over the same period, while the distance covered for e-bike trips was more than 74 million kilometres.

    MMfE’s incident report found that the rate of injuries on shared e-scooters fell by 19% in 2022, with Aymonier saying, “It is also important to note that despite the uptake of shared micromobility services in 2022, the rate of injuries with e-scooters and e-bikes has decreased compared to 2021, as revealed in our latest incident data report.”

  3. LEVA-EU member Dott secures contract to operate e-scooter service in Madrid

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    Source: Micromobilitybiz, A. Ballinger

    The micromobility fleet provider joins Tier and Lime in deploying a sizeable joint fleet of 6,000 vehicles throughout the city.

    Announced in late 2022, Madrid City Council launched its first tender for shared e-scooters in the city. It is now confirmed that the bid has been won by the providers Dott, Tier and Lime collectively. Initial contracts are for an operating time of 3 years, with the potential for extensions in increments of 6 months following the initial period.

    Dott already maintains a fleet of e-bikes in Madrid, which have been operating since March 2021, and provides micromobility services to many key European cities including London, Rome, Stockholm, Brussels and Paris. In Madrid, the brand will be introducing completely new e-scooters, featuring large (12”) wheels for stability, front, rear and indicator lights, and a phone holder.

    Maxim Romain, co-founder and COO of Dott, said: “The launch in Madrid marks a turning point for our service in Spain, and a major increase in the number of vehicles we operate there as we bring efficient, safe and environmentally friendly transport to the capital city. We will bring our experience of collaborating closely with city authorities across Europe to ensure that we offer a reliable service for our riders whilst respecting all other road users and pedestrians.” 

  4. Paris set to vote on the future of e-scooters

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    Source: Forbes, C. O’Brien

    After 4 years of electric scooter-sharing services in France’s capital city, the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has confirmed a vote to determine if the micromobility option will be banned in the city.

    The referendum in April has been announced following a lengthy review by city officials, with the mayor herself in favour of the ban. What are the key issues facing the use of e-scooters in Paris?

    • National laws are vague in terms of regulation.
    • Residents feel that riders are reckless.
    • Excessive riding on sidewalks and in pedestrianised areas.
    • Poor parking and the free-floating nature of the service have created an eyesore.
    • Antisocial use of the devices, particularly by tourists.

    It should be noted that steps have been taken to address some of these concerns, such as limiting speeds and releasing a clear code of conduct, but the e-scooters remain extremely divisive.

    With 12 active bike and e-scooter sharing services in the city, Paris is one of the largest markets for micromobility services. The results of this referendum will therefore be watched closely by industry and consumers alike; the conclusion may well inform future decisions in comparable locations.

  5. Brussels-Capital Region municipality, Uccle, bans shared scooters

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    Source: Legaal Rijden, Peter

    Just south of the center of Brussels, residents have become increasingly frustrated with the nuisance of shared e-scooters, leading to a complete ban in the municipality.

    In Uccle, e-scooters have created major concerns due to the way in which riders were ditching their means of transport. Shared public spaces were overrun much to the frustration of city-dwellers, resulting in a complete ban on the shared micromobility fleets.

    “The Brussels municipality has this week demanded by letter to the operators of shared scooters that the shared scooters must be removed from the streets within 10 days. They must also ensure that the shared scooters are no longer parked within the municipal boundaries. The new rules do not apply to private e-scooters and driving through the municipality on an e-scooter is still allowed.“

    Belgium’s e-scooter and LEV legal backdrop continues to shift following the devices’ rise to popularity from 2018 onwards. In the last two years, bans have been placed on riders below the age of 16, the two-person riding of e-scooters, sidewalk riding, and limitations have been placed on speed in public areas. The latest development is another step toward Belgium finding a system that works for all citizens.

  6. New Brussels-specific e-scooter rules add stricter measures than those governing the country as a whole

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    Source: Eltis, M. Modijefsky

    As of July 1, 2022, new federal laws for the use of e-scooters in Belgium came into place. In the Brussels Capital Region, even stricter measures have been implemented to protect pedestrians. The changes are part of an effort to address concerns over road safety and hindrance linked to the increasing use of e-scooters.

    To address the concerns over e-scooter safety new regulation was required. Georges Gilkinet, Federal Minister of Mobility, explained: “The world has changed and so has our mobility. The electric scooter is now part of our daily life. But with the increase in the number of accidents, sometimes with serious consequences, it was necessary to react. New rules will come into effect from 1 July to better protect scooter users and other road users. Let’s strive together for more safety and fewer accidents on our roads. All For Zero”.

    The new rules:

    The new rules mean that users of e-scooters, or any other micromobility transport method, will be assimilated to cyclists. In effect, riding on sidewalks or in pedestrianized areas is no longer permitted. In situations where permitted, speed must be reduced to 5km/h and pedestrians have right of way.

    Additionally, a minimum age requirement of 16 years has been introduced, and riding e-scooters with two or more passengers is prohibited. Alongside these changes, new guidance for e-scooter parking has been introduced, including signage for designated parking destinations, non-parking zones, and laws against obstruction of the sidewalk.

    Additional rules in Brussels:

    The new rules have also been welcomed in the Brussels-Capital Region. At the same time, the Region has introduced additional rules on the use of e-scooters. Elke Van den Brandt, Brussels Minister of Mobility, added: “Electric scooters are a convenient way to get around, as long as they do not hinder pedestrians and people with reduced mobility. That is too often the case now. Thousands of these shared scooters appeared on our streets and it is high time for stricter regulation. In addition to the federal rules, the Brussels-Capital Region decided to automatically limit the speed of scooters in pedestrian zones and to limit the number of scooters per operator.”

    Specifically, e-scooters in pedestrianized zones are now limited to 8km/h, while across the entirety of the region, the top speed is limited to 20km/h. For comparison, the general top speed limitation of e-scooters in Europe is 25km/h.

    Bart Dhondt, Mobility Councillor of the City of Brussels, stated: “Parents, their children, and people with mobility problems no longer felt comfortable in the pedestrian zone. By ensuring that the shared-use e-scooters can only travel at a walking pace, the pedestrian zone will once again become a space for everyone.”

  7. Updated e-scooter trial requirements in the UK – number plates, speed limits, and more

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    Source: UK GOV, Micromobilitybiz

    From 1 April new guidance will come into effect across the UK for shared micromobility trials, ensuring safety and best practice is at the forefront of the scheme.

    Each e-scooter in UK-wide micromobility trials will be required to display a manufacturer label with a unique identification number; these should be clearly visible on either the steering column, side, or rear of each vehicle. A variety of reasoning is given for this updated guidance, primarily easier identification of individual riders by both the police and the public. In the UK public usage of a privately owned e-scooter is illegal, identification numbers will aid in differentiating vehicles that are not part of micromobility trials.

    Outside of unique identification numbers, a range of additional recommendations have been released focusing on safety for both riders and the public. Recommendations include a lower speed limit for new riders, good-parking incentives, safety events, and technological improvements. The full release can be viewed here.

    Following the extended trial period, evaluation of the scheme’s success will inform the future of micromobility services in the UK.

  8. Shared e-scooter micromobility trial in London reaches 500,000 journeys

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    Source: Micromobilitybiz

    The e-scooter sharing services have now been used to travel upwards of 1.6 million kilometers

    New data shared by Transport for London (TfL) and three e-scooter operators Dott, Lime, and Tier announced that their ongoing shared micromobility trial in London has surpassed the milestone of half a million trips. Total journeys reached 585,000 in early February, covering a total distance of 1.6 million kilometers since the scheme’s launch just 8 months ago.

    Following sustained success, the trail has seen a six-fold increase in available vehicles, now standing at 3,585 scooters; the number of partaking boroughs has also doubled. As seen in similar schemes, there is much discussion regarding the safety of e-scooters in regard to riders themselves as well as pedestrians. For this reason, TfL is working to develop a universal e-scooter sound in collaboration with UCL – this will allow easier identification of the vehicles, particularly for those with visual impairments.

    Helen Sharp, lead in the TfL e-scooter trail shares:

    “We’re working closely with operators, councils, and people across London to build on the success of the trial so far and we hope that even more people will be able to take advantage of the trial over the coming year. The anonymised data we gather is crucial and we’ll be analysing this closely so that we can learn more about the role e-scooters could play in helping people move around London sustainably.”

  9. Centre for London report lauds shared e-scooters and advises regulations needed

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    A recent report recommends that the use of private and shared e-scooters be legalised, hand in hand with the introduction of thorough and practical safety measures.

    With shared e-scooters having been in a trial phase in the UK capital for over four months now, Centre for London, a dedicated think tank focused on developing new solutions to London’s critical challenges, has released a report looking at how micromobility vehicles such as e-scooters and e-bikes could help to reduce car use, cut carbon emissions, and improve air quality in the capital. 

    Key findings state that:

    “Two thirds of car trips in London could be made by micromobility vehicles in 20 minutes or less, with most of these trips taking place in outer London where there are fewer public transport options.”

    and

    “Micromobility vehicles emit between 34 and 90 per cent (shared e-scooter vs private bike) fewer carbon emissions than private cars, and do not produce harmful pollutants at the point of use.”

    Some measures put forward included giving powers to Transport for London to manage shared e-scooter schemes within the city, making sure all vehicles meet minimum safety standards, and making it a requirement for shared scheme providers to locate schemes in neighbourhoods with fewer public transport options. The government can also support lower-income and ethnic minority groups in making e-scooters more accessible through tax incentives and loans.

    The report calls specifically on the government to enact these changes, and outlines how improvements are needed, for instance in streamlining the riding and parking experience, and in ensuring more joined-up services across regions. Operators too can raise their game, in areas such as pricing, delivery of training, vehicle safety measures and more.

    Josh Cottell, Research Manager, Centre for London said:

    “Legalising private ownership and riding is the first step towards building a gold standard for micromobility in the UK, with Transport for London – and other equivalent authorities in towns and cities across the country given the powers to arrange shared schemes for micromobility vehicles as they emerge.”

    Read more: https://www.centreforlondon.org/news/legalising-escooters-cut-car-use/

    Download the full report here: https://www.centreforlondon.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Micromobility_in_London_Report.pdf

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