After the ban on electric scooters in the city, Paris faces something surprising

When the ban on electric scooter sharing came into force in Parisin early 2023, provoked a controversial reaction among the city’s residents and visitors.

Although private electric scooters were still permitted, these thousands of shared vehicles, widely used by residents and tourists, were removed from the streets, triggering unforeseen consequences.

After banning shared electric scooters, something unusual happened in Paris

The initiative to ban shared electric scooters came in response to complaints from a minority of citizens who opposed their use by the city.

Interestingly, the measure passed even though only 7% of registered voters in Paris voted ‘yes’ to the ban.

Paris banned the use of shared electric scooters – Image: Getty Images/Reproduction

Scooters made it easier for both residents and tourists to move around the city, even reducing the number of pollutant-emitting vehicles.

It was anticipated that the ban could result in the resumption of use of larger vehicles, but a recent study revealed an unexpected effect: a significant increase in the use of dockless bicycles.

After the expulsion of the electric scooters shared, the total number of trips decreased slightly throughout the year.

However, the use of dockless bikes has experienced exponential growth, more than doubling in just one year.

The number of trips with such vehicles rose from around 750,000 in September 2022 to almost 2 million in September 2023, indicating a notable change in the urban mobility behavior of Parisians.

The use of shared bicycles has increased in Paris – Image: Poder 360/Reproduction

The future of dockless bicycles in the city is still uncertain. The growing acceptance of this new mobility model may depend on the attitude adopted by Parisians in relation to this alternative form of transport.

The ban on shared electric scooters not only redefined the urban mobility landscape in Paris, but also signaled a significant change in the pattern of transport choice, leaving open the fate of shared electric scooters. bicycles no station in the city.