Yahoo Finance Where are e-scooters banned? Paris tells rental firms to wind up operations
Paris recently became one of the first cities to have an outright ban on e-scooter rentals in the city.
Following a referendum that was held in April 2023, an astounding 90% of votes were for a stop to e-scooter rentals in the city. Just 7% of eligible voters chose to take part in the vote.
Lime, Dott, and Tier – scooter rental agencies operating in Paris – have until September 1 to remove the electronic scooters from the streets.
Parisians who prefer to get around the city on two wheels can still use privately owned e-scooters. The ban makes Paris one of the few European capitals to have has closed down the e-scooter rental industry.
While many other cities continue to embrace e-scooters, electric vehicles haven’t come without challenges. E-scooter collisions, deaths, and clashes with pedestrians have prompted frustration among city dwellers.
In fact, there are other cities that have e-scooter restrictions in place. Speed limits and helmet requirements are just some of the recent clampdowns taking place. But where exactly are e-scooters banned?
Paris, France
As we’ve already mentioned, Paris has introduced an outright ban on e-scooter rentals.
The main scooter rental agencies are now moving their scooters to alternative cities and plan to expand in other markets before the September 1 ban.
Canal towpaths, UK
Riding privately owned e-scooters in public is technically illegal in the UK; however, there have been several government trials recently that point toward the permanent legalisation of e-scooter rentals.
E-scooters are specifically banned from canal towpaths across the country. The Canal and Rivers Trust recently released a code of conduct that banned e-scooters and urged cyclists to ride carefully on the narrow towpaths.
Trains and platforms, UK
E-scooters are been banned on trains and on train platforms in the UK.
As of this summer, a number of train operators have restricted the use and storage of e-scooters on trains. According to the BBC, Southeastern train operators said they were a “fire risk”.
The Netherlands
It is illegal to ride e-scooters on public roads in the Netherlands and people who are caught can face a hefty fine of €380.
Some Dutch ministers have tried to encourage the introduction of e-scooters in certain cities. According to Dutch News, proposals to introduce e-scooters by 2025 have been met with pushback from other local representatives.
Cities where e-scooters have returned
While some cities have made strides to ban e-scooter rentals, others appear to have had a change of heart.
The Danish capital, Copenhagen, for instance, introduced an e-scooter ban before quickly permitting their use again as long as strict guidelines were adhered to.
A similar thing has happened in Madrid, Spain, where e-scooter rentals have also been reinstated after an initial city ban.
