Paris bans rental scooters
After a vote in April, Paris has become the first European capital to banish rental electric scooters from its streets. The ban came into effect on September 1 in response to numerous accidents and dangerous situations caused by the city's 15,000 e-scooters, which will now be sent to other cities in France, Europe and Israel. Commentators are glad to see them go.
Soft mobility, but not at any price
Paris is setting a good example, Le Quotidien puts in:
“We may recall that in 2019 Bird e-scooters also disappeared from the streets of Luxembourg. Mayor Lydie Polfer didn't want them on the streets without clear rules. It has to be said that some users had been having fun doing all kinds of things with them. ... Now Paris is sending a clear signal: soft mobility yes, but not at any price! The Paris example should also be heeded by us here in Luxembourg so we avoid adopting ideas that look good on paper but turn into a nightmare once they've been put into practice.”
Time to say goodbye
Parisians won't miss the scooters, The Spectator comments:
“e-scooters were a menace, often piloted by aggressive, bearded, male millennials who regarded it as the height of amusement to weave their way at top speed along bustling pavements. ... The tipping point was 2022 when 35 people lost their lives because of e-scooters and more than 600 suffered serious injuries. ... Lime's public affairs director, Xavier Miraillès, said that the company has 'turned the page on scooters' for Paris and its machine will be sent to other cities in France and beyond, including London. The city's A&E departments must be thrilled at the news.”
Reflect on our consumer behaviour
Jean Mansuy, a mobility officer at the federation of Belgian environmental associations Canopea, argues in La Libre Belgique that rental scooters should be allowed but their use should be more restricted:
“In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, e-scooters should not be used for unnecessary journeys. And in any event it's always better to walk or ride a bike. ... A rented e-scooter only has an environmental advantage if it replaces a car. And if you really want to use an e-scooter as a means of transport, it's often more environmentally friendly to to buy one than to rent one.”