Rental E-Scooters Cleared from Paris Streets

After five years since their introduction, the streets of Paris are now free from rental e-scooters. This makes Paris the first European capital to ban rental scooters, according to the Guardian. While privately owned e-scooters can still be used by Parisians, the ban on rental scooters was favored by almost 90% of the voters in an April referendum called by Mayor Anne Hidalgo. However, critics argue that these “free-floating” scooters were being driven dangerously and created eyesores with piles of parked scooters.

Although the ban is supported by the majority of the population, the rental e-scooters had gained popularity among students and individuals under 35, attracting an estimated 400,000 users last year, as reported by AFP. Despite not being a fan of the scooters himself, Hugo Schofield from the BBC acknowledges that the ban may not reflect the true sentiment of the younger population. He criticizes Mayor Hidalgo for swiftly turning against the e-scooters and holding a vote with minimal publicity. According to Schofield, older individuals who dislike e-scooters were more likely to turn out and vote, while younger users who actually utilize the scooters may have abstained from voting. (Read more Paris stories.)