Paris bans rental electric scooters, transition to bicycles underway

Paris bans rental electric scooters

Paris has become the first European city to completely ban rental electric scooters from its streets. The move comes after an April referendum in which voters overwhelmingly elected to remove them, despite a low turnout of just 7.5 percent. The decision brings an end to five years of scooters zipping through crowds of pedestrians, parking awkwardly on pavements, and a series of accidents. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who herself campaigned against the scooters, argued that removing them would reduce "nuisance."

The ban has elicited mixed reactions from Parisians. Some, like scooter user Valerie Rinckel, feel saddened by the loss of an efficient and convenient means of transportation. Others, like Anass Eloula, believe it's safer to switch to bicycles or public transport. David Belliard, deputy Paris mayor in charge of urban mobility, argued that the case against rental scooters was overwhelming, despite operators' efforts to address problems. He described the situation as "unbearable anarchy."

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Operators transition to other cities

Operators Lime, Tier, and Dott have been gradually removing their 15,000 scooters from public streets in Paris. They plan to send the scooters to other cities in Europe and beyond after performing repair and maintenance work. Some scooters will remain in the wider Ile-de-France region around Paris, with Tier continuing service in suburbs like Marne-la-Vallee and Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Lime will send its scooters to cities including Lille in northern France, London, Copenhagen, and several German cities, while Dott's scooters will go to Belgium and Tel Aviv.

Emphasis on alternative transportation

In lieu of scooters, these companies hope customers will turn to floating hire bicycles, which they already offer. Tier's France chief, Clement Pette, pointed to the 5,000 bikes the company has in Paris, emphasizing their potential for growth. While bicycles offer an alternative, some users find them less agile and convenient compared to scooters.

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Consequently, some regular scooter users have purchased their own scooters or opted for daily, half-day, or weekly rentals offered by electric mobility retailers like Volt. Gregory Coillot, founder of Volt, believes the end of free-floating scooters will significantly boost demand for hire services. He plans to expand his fleet to up to 2,000 scooters to serve areas where former operators were most active.