This weekend, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo informed Le Parisien that Parisians will get to vote whether or not they need to ban free-floating electrical scooters or not. As I defined final week, Dott, Lime and Tier, the three scooter firms presently working within the metropolis, have working licenses which can be set to run out on March twenty third, 2023. And the destiny of these companies may have huge implications throughout the micromobility sector.

“If Parisians need to personal their very own scooter, there’s no subject. However we’ve got an actual subject with free-floating scooters. It’s not climate-friendly. Workers working for these firms should not correctly handled,” Mayor of Paris informed Le Parisien.

“That’s why I’m going to ask a query to Parisians in a vote that’s going to happen on Sunday, April 2nd in order that I can perceive what they need,” she added.

Every operator presently has a fleet of 5,000 electrical scooters. Though the vote will happen just a few days after the license expiration, scooter firms will nonetheless have the ability to hold their companies up and operating after March twenty third. The licenses will likely be prolonged till there’s some readability.

The town council is split on electrical scooters. Deputy Mayor David Belliard has been strongly towards these companies. He’s in command of transportation and he’s additionally a inexperienced celebration member. He’s an vital ally for Anne Hidalgo, a member of the Socialist Celebration.

However that doesn’t imply that everybody within the metropolis council needs to ban electrical scooters. The Mayor of Paris in the end will get to resolve whether or not shared scooters needs to be banned or not. And he or she has determined that… she’s not going to resolve, despite the fact that she doesn’t like scooters.

“Ought to we transfer ahead with free-floating scooters or not? Throughout final yr’s public listening to with Parisians, it was a polarizing subject — it’s a battle. My concept is that we must always cease. However I’ll respect the vote of the Parisians even when they disagree with what I would like,” Hidalgo informed Le Parisien.

So the marketing campaign is on. Dott, Lime and Tier are already lining up their speaking factors. For example, in accordance with them, electrical scooters are a inexperienced transportation possibility. The fact is a little more complicated as an electrical scooter is greener than an Uber journey. However Paris additionally has a dense metro community.

Based on an Ipsos ballot paid by Dott, Lime and Tier, 40% of individuals residing in Paris are happy with free-floating scooters. 88% of them additionally suppose that they’re right here to remain. Let’s see if that opinion will likely be mirrored within the vote outcomes.

Right here’s a joined assertion from Dott, Lime and Tier:

“We welcome the choice to seek the advice of Parisians relating to the town’s shared e-scooter service, and hope to make sure its continuity over the approaching months.

With greater than 2 million distinctive riders having used the shared e-scooter service this yr alone – and 700 tons of CO2 emissions averted in 2021 by driving inexperienced within the capital – we’re satisfied that Parisians are conscious of the position that zero emission micromobility choices play in serving to meet the ambitions set out within the Paris agreements at COP21.

All the workers of the three operators within the Paris space – 800 in complete, all on fixed-term and everlasting contracts – pay attention to this reprieve. Lime, Dott and Tier will stay attentive concerning the phrases of this session, which appears to state that solely inside metropolis Parisian residents will likely be eligible to vote and people residing in metropolis’s suburbs, in addition to expats and non-native residents who dwell in inside metropolis Paris won’t be eligible to vote.”