Paris to Become First in Europe to Ban Electric Scooters

From September 1st, electric scooters will no longer be available for rent in Paris.

This decision comes as a result of the outcome of a citywide referendum on the use of electric scooters, as reported by RTBF.

The move is based on concerns raised by the scattered presence of these scooters throughout the city and, notably, worries about the safety of their users. More than 100,000 Parisians participated in the vote, with 89% of participants expressing their support for the ban.

Paris took the lead in 2018 by introducing electric scooters, or "trottinettes," as a means of promoting environmentally friendly urban transportation. However, the popularity of these two-wheeled vehicles, particularly among young people, has led to an increase in accidents. In 2022, three people died and 459 were injured in electric scooter-related accidents in Paris.

During what was referred to as "public consultations," voters were asked whether they were "for or against shared scooters."

Across the city, 21 polling stations were set up, operating until 7:00 PM local time. While 1.6 million people have the right to vote, turnout is expected to be low.

The ban received between 85.77% and 91.77% of the votes in 20 districts of Paris where results were announced, according to the official website of the city of Paris. This rare form of "public consultation" led to long queues at polling stations throughout the city. While the vote was not mandatory, local authorities promised to monitor the results.

Mayor Anne Hidalgo has been an advocate of cycling and bike-sharing initiatives but has supported the ban on electric scooters. Hidalgo stated that "rental scooters create tension and concern" among Parisians and that the prohibition will "reduce the number of unpleasant incidents" in public spaces.

Paris currently hosts almost 15,000 electric scooters operated by companies such as Lime, Dott, and Tier. Critics argue that electric scooter users often disregard traffic rules and frequently ride on sidewalks. These vehicles are also frequently haphazardly parked or discarded in the Seine River.

Bianca Sclavi, an Italian resident of Paris, noted that the scooters are "too fast" and should be mechanically limited to slow down. "But it's not as bad as when they first arrived… the most dangerous are the drunk tourists!"

It's worth recalling that The Gaze reported on the stricter regulations regarding the use of electric scooters introduced in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, at the beginning of summer.

These changes aim to enhance pedestrian safety and reduce sidewalk chaos caused by abandoned electric scooters.

In the city center and on bridges, the maximum speed for electric scooters will be reduced to 12 km/h. Additionally, designated parking areas for electric scooters will be established, and only these zones will be permissible for scooter parking.

Rented electric scooters will be marked with numbers to aid driver identification in case of violations. Residents will also have the ability to document the number of such scooters and report violations to the rental companies.