France bans electric foot scooters from pavements
The minister for Transport has banned electric foot scooters from riding on pavements and pedestrian areas, saying that they should now use normal roads and cycling lanes.
Elisabeth Borne in the Assembl茅e Nationale this week, after having confirmed in September that the new 2019 mobility law (la Loi d鈥橭rientation des Mobilit茅s) would contain regulation on electric scooters.
New personal mobility vehicles - of which electric foot scooters will be part - will be subject to a 鈥渘ew category of vehicle鈥� within the highway code, Ms Borne said.
The vehicles are also known as "kick" or "push" scooters, and as "trottinettes 茅lectriques" in French.
In 2017, 286 people were injured and five people killed in accidents involving scooters, representing a rise of 23% compared to previous years.
Ms Borne : 鈥淲e cannot allow these vehicles, going at 20 or 30 kph, risking the safety of pedestrians on pavements. We are going to create a new vehicle category. These vehicles will be permitted to ride on roads, cycling lanes, or in 30kph zones, but not on pavements.鈥�
She added: 鈥淎n innovation is only positive if it is developed in context, allowing everyone to benefit, from the safety of pedestrians as much as for users.鈥�
The minister a new framework for 鈥渇ree floating鈥� vehicles, such as for-hire bikes that do not have hire 鈥渟tation鈥� hubs. These are increasingly being abandoned in pedestrian areas, Ms Borne said.
To address this, the new vehicle laws will also create a new framework for 鈥渇ree-floating鈥� vehicles, adding that the government would allow 鈥渓ocal associations to define a their own specifications for the development of these new services鈥�.
