Paris is set to implement a unique ban on rented e-scooters this week, a move distinct in Europe.
Lime, Dott, and Tier, the three licensed e-scooter operators in Paris, will comply with the ban by removing their fleets by September 1, replacing them with expanding e-bike offerings ahead of the 2024 Olympics. The three companies together possess approximately 15,000 e-scooters in the city.
In April, a referendum offered Parisians two choices: to support or oppose rental scooters. Although only 7% of eligible voters participated, the outcome was resounding, with 90% voting against e-scooters.
The operators highlighted the limited voter turnout and stressed that the ban would isolate Paris from other eco-conscious cities that embrace these modes of transportation. Notably, private e-scooter rules remain unaffected.
The debate over e-scooters’ role in urban mobility continues globally. While some cities, like Madrid and Copenhagen, have embraced e-scooter rentals with conditions, others have implemented limitations such as speed caps and designated parking zones.
Outright bans, once adopted, are relatively rare among previously welcoming cities. For instance, shared e-scooters persist in other French cities such as Marseille and Lyon. Similarly, most e-scooters are not permitted on Dutch roads, and ride-sharing companies have not entered that market.
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