New “disproportionately harsh” regulations for electric scooters have come under fire amid concern they will actually discourage commuters from seriously considering this clean alternate mode of transport.
Selling as cheap as €400, the scooters are powered by a small electric motor and are fast becoming a popular means of transport especially among people commuting short distances to avoid traffic.
Under the regulations, users must be in possession of a valid driving licence, third-party insurance cover and registration plates like a normal vehicle.
Commuters breaching these rules could be fined thousands of euros and, in certain cases, have their e-scooter confiscated and driving licence suspended.
The designated speed limit is 20 kilometres per hour on roads and 10 kilometres per hour on footpaths, promenades, cycle paths and pedestrian zones. Parking is only permitted within designated areas.
Rolled out two days after Christmas, the Micromobility Regulations were in the pipeline for months. A draft version was published for public consultation by the transport ministry in September.
Being obliged to get a driving licence, insurance and registration means that one might as well get a car or a motorcycle
Back then, Alternattiva Demo-kratika had slammed the regulations as “downright silly” on grounds they would discourage use of the means of transport.
Apart from questioning the timing of these regulations in the midst of the festive season, e-scooter users who spoke to Times of Malta vented their frustration at what they described as “draconian” laws.
“Being obliged to get a driving licence, insurance and registration means that one might as well get a car or a motorcycle,” one user said.
This sentiment was echoed by the Bicycle Advocacy Group president, Michelle Attard Tonna.
“These regulations are a missed opportunity to encourage an alternative means of transport as they are disproportionately harsh. Scooters offer even more versatility than bicycles as they can be folded up and carried on a bus or in a car booth, so it encourages people to modal share their trip and use a scooter in conjunction with a car or public transport when distances are very long,” she said.
Ms Attard Tonna argued that authorities should have first provided an adequate safe infrastructure for e-scooters before rolling out draconian regulations.
“Moreover, enforcing these regulations might be an issue itself especially on speeding and locating unregistered users. Are police officers or wardens meant to be chasing e-scooters?” she questioned.
Another issue which has raised questions is the minimum age for e-scooter users. For some reason the legal notice states that 16-year-olds are allowed to use them, but in practice this is impossible as the minimum age for obtaining a driving licence is 18 years.
Questions sent to Transport Malta and the Transport Ministry were not answered by the time of writing.