Scooters must be banned if no active measures are taken to ensure their safe circulation, Dipa MP and chairman of the House transport committee Marinos Moushiouttas said on Tuesday. His statement came after a report earlier in the day of an accident involving a scooter, in which a 13-year-old boy was seriously injured in Limassol.
Pressure must be put on companies and municipal authorities to take on their share of the responsibility so that electric scooters are used safely and correctly on the island’s roads, Moushiouttas told SigmaLive. The MP spoke of serious gaps in legislation regulating use of scooters which – like bicycles – are uninsured and therefore third-party coverage cannot be claimed.
Legislation Gaps and Safety Concerns
Scooters circulate in unsuitable areas at unsuitable speeds, their riders unprotected from other vehicles with which they must share the roads, Moushiouttas said. The MP further said he would propose a ban on scooters in the absence of beefed-up measures, as a priority to be discussed in parliament when it re-opens on July 10.
“Declaring their use illegal is not an end in itself but [a means to secure] the safety of citizens, [for which] checks must be carried out and they must circulate [in appropriate zones] in a safer way,” the MP added.
Referring to the incident involving the 13-year-old boy, Moushiouttas mentioned that current legislation provides someone must be 14 years and up to ride a scooter. If the scooter has a seat for a second person, that person must be 12 or older. According to the legislation, the driver must wear a protective helmet and after dark a fluorescent vest for visibility.
Based on the legislation, scooters are permitted to travel on bicycle lanes, on roads with a maximum limit of 30km, or where the competent authorities or municipalities allow their use.
Municipal Responsibilities and Enforcement
“Either municipalities must take the law seriously to deter both riders and rental companies from illegal use or let’s proceed with a complete ban,” Moushiouttas said, adding that more suitable lanes still need to be built and authorities should become more proactive about arresting and fining violators.
Aside from safety, other complaints against scooters have arisen since their use has gained popularity, including a situation of badly managed drop-off areas by operating companies resulting in them being haphazardly abandoned on footpaths and other public places.
