Once A Pioneer In E-scooters, Paris Contemplates Banning Them

Paris, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Mar, 2023 ) :Residents of Paris are set to vote on Sunday on whether to banish electric scooters for rent from the streets of the French capital, in what would be a world-first for a major city.

Paris was one of the first to adopt devices that are rented via an app such as Lime, Dott or Tier and are popular among young people as an alternative to public transport for covering short distances.

"Symbolically the vote is very important," said Erwann Le Page, public affairs director at Tier, a Berlin-based operator. "It's a city that has been a pioneer." After the chaotic introduction of the scooters in 2018, city authorities have progressively tightened regulations, creating designated parking zones, limiting the top speed, and restricting the number of operators.

But their presence remains controversial, with pedestrians complaining about reckless driving while a spate of fatal accidents has highlighted the dangers of vehicles that can currently be hired by children as young as 12.

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, under pressure over rule-breaking on the capital's roads, announced the referendum in January to settle the issue of whether for-hire scooters should be allowed.

The pro-cycling Socialist, who favors a ban, called them a "source of tension and worry" in the lives of Parisians in an interview with AFP on Thursday.

The consultation will not affect privately owned electric scooters, of which 700,000 were sold nationwide last year, according to transport ministry figures.

Around 100,000 journeys are completed each day in France on rented e-scooters in around 200 towns and cities.