Electric scooter companies demand scooter limits in Helsinki News
Scooter companies refer to successful models in other European cities.
Electric scooter rental companies Tier, Voi, Lime, Bird and Dott want legislation for scooter chaos in the center of Helsinki.
Electric scooters left in the middle of the promenade have been a big drawback during the summer. This is especially true for the visually impaired, for whom scooters make the urban environment much more difficult to navigate.
The Helsinki University Hospital District (HUS) recently said that electric scooter accidents in Helsinki last year cost more than 1.7 million euros.
Licensing models used in other major European cities would limit the number of Scooters and operators according to scooter companies. This in turn would help to establish clear parking practices and safety rules.
“Cities have first decided how many joint electric scooters they want for the area. A public tender would then be held in which the city will define the criteria by which it will select service providers,” the companies said in a statement. joint press release.
According to the companies, this model has been used in Oslo, Copenhagen, London and Paris.
Voluntary agreements are not enough
Electric scooter companies have previously demanded more regulation from the authorities. The congested market has brought with it serious problems and tarnished the reputation of top companies in the industry.
Tier, Oh, Lime, Bird and Dott claimed their scooters covered more than 11.7 million journeys last year, for a total of 24 million kilometers.
“The current voluntary agreements are simply not enough in the long run. Without the change in the law, there really is no way to enforce compliance,” the companies said in a joint press release.
According to the companies, the city does not currently have the capacity to regulate the activities of electric scooter companies.
The permit model would give the city the means to limit the number of electric scooters and impose stricter rules on, for example, parking and safety.
Companies claim that this approach has already been successful elsewhere in Europe.
Common rules have sought to solve these problems
However, according to the scooter companies, the situation in the center of Helsinki is not as challenging now as it was last summer, although the number of scooters in the center has doubled.
The companies have jointly agreed on a number of measures to alleviate the current situation.
These include moving an unused scooter daily, patrolling, and requiring the user to take a picture of the scooter at the end of the ride.
In addition, the City of Helsinki has significantly tightened the use of electric scooters. For example, in the city center, scooters shut down from parking lots.
The government has begun considering setting alcohol limits for micro-transport, which would cover cyclists, personal Electric Vehicles (PEVs) and Electric Scooters for Rent.