Self-hire e-scooters were first introduced to the French capital in 2018 as a greener alternative to cars and the public transport network. However, an increased number of accidents and “irresponsible use” has seen Mayor Anne Hidalgo call a referendum on whether they should stay.
On Sunday, Parisians can vote on the issue at 203 polling stations across 21 locations until 7 pm local time (6 pm UK). While the result is not legally binding, Ms Hidalgo has promised to honour the result.
The city’s 15,000-strong fleet of rental e-scooters are provided by Tier, Lime, and Dott. They are widely used, with each e-scooter picked up an average of 3.5 times a day, according to official figures.
However, calls to improve safety have forced e-scooter providers to cap the overall number, impose automatic speed restrictions in certain areas, and fines for leaving them abandoned in undesignated spaces.
Three deaths and 459 injuries were attributed to e-scooters in Paris in 2022, compared to one fatality and 353 injuries in 2021. Ms Hidalgo has cited concerns over road safety issues, especially for older and disabled people, as a reason to consider the ban.
Social media influencers have stepped up efforts to get young people to vote against the ban in recent days. They argue that e-scooters provide a safer and quicker way of travelling home late at night, particularly in the absence of a night service on the Paris metro. Strikes against Emmanuel Macron’s pension reforms are also making public transport increasingly unreliable, they add.
The vote is taking place on the same day as the Paris marathon, with those against the ban fearful that this will reduce turnout.
If the referendum results in a ban on rental e-scooters, Paris would join other cities like Madrid and Barcelona in prohibiting them.
