The frustration aired by the director of an e-scooter company over its operations in Malta sparked major traffic on the online comments boards.

Roberto Pestana argued that the two-wheeled electric vehicles remain one of the best alternative transport solutions for Malta but claimed that the system is rigged against them and the government intends to drive them out.

E-scooters have divided public opinion ever since they were introduced in Malta.

On the positive side, the compact, electric-powered vehicles introduced a means of efficient, cheap and eco-friendly mobility. From their minimal environmental impact to their potential to alleviate traffic congestion, e-scooters provided a means to dodge the traffic chaos.

Unlike conventional vehicles, they do not emit harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, making them an eco-conscious choice for short-distance commuting.

Equally important, they reduce the chances of users opting to drive a car, book a cab or occupying a space on one of the already packed public buses.

One of the most appealing features of e-scooters in densely populated areas is their space efficiency. With the ability to park around five scooters in the space required for a single car, they help mitigate the persistent issue of limited parking space in urban environments. This is especially relevant in countries like Malta, where car traffic is endemic and parking spaces are at a premium.

But their use in a congested environment poses challenges.

The careless, irresponsible parking driving of e-scooters on pavements has rightly created frustration and safety concerns among pedestrians. The erratic parking has created a dangerous obstacle in tourist towns like Sliema and St Julian’s, where a lot of elderly people still live. The occasional haphazard driving on the roads has also sparked frustration and more chaos on the streets.

And this concern cannot be ignored.

However, calling for a blanket ban on e-scooters is not the solution. What we need is clear legislation, proper enforcement of regulations and the establishment of dedicated docking bays.

For example, it is pointless dishing out parking tickets when the law still gives a way out to lawbreakers.

The introduction of proper docking bays can significantly mitigate the issue of pavement obstruction. If Malta can provide thousands of parking bays for cars and motorcycles, (not to mention sacrificing parking spaces for bars, kiosks, and restaurants) there should be no reason why we cannot provide a few hundred bays for scooters. Apart from preventing obstacles on pavements, parking bays can bring systematic order.

E-scooters are not the problem but, rather, it is the misuse and lack of infrastructure that need to be addressed. Banning e-scooters outright would be a shortsighted and a regressive step. We live in one of the smallest and most densely populated countries in the world and, yet, the latest statistics show we add more than 50 new vehicles on the road every day.

Therefore, we cannot afford to eliminate a clean and efficient mode of transportation simply because of some rogue scooter riders or because we are caving in to public pressure in a country where the car is king.

It is also disheartening to note that car-sharing companies like GoTo and Cool have already left Malta.

In a world striving to combat climate change and reduce congestion, e-scooters are a part of the solution and it is our responsibility to harness their potential.

As Pestana rightly said: “If done right, e-scooters could really solve a big part of the problem.”