“I believe outright bans are simplistic solutions.” Minister Delegate for Transport Clément Beaune, who spoke about France 2 this Tuesday morning, do not want to see free-floating scooters disappear. His statements come four days after the initiative of the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo to organize a referendum on the banning of self-service electric scooters in the capital – which she herself is in favor of – on April 2.
The Minister Delegate for Transport is also working on “a scooter regulation plan” and will meet with the associations concerned “in the coming weeks”. “I believe in regulation,” said the minister.
Towards an obligation to wear helmets?
A decree of October 2019 already regulates the use of electric scooters: it sets in particular a minimum age of 12 years, limits their speed to 25 km / h, prohibits circulation on sidewalks (except local exceptions) and the use by several people, and requires them to be fitted with front and rear position lights, reflectors, a braking system and an audible warning device.
As with other vehicles, it is forbidden to make phone calls or wear headphones while driving. If he refused to comment on the obligation to wear a helmet, Clément Beaune indicated that “it is part of the tracks that we are looking at”.
“I want us in any case to strengthen the controls, the precautionary measures”, declared the potential future candidate for the Mayor of Paris, citing age, security obligations, or “the ban on the telephone which is disregarded”.
“I believe that the ban would be to break a mode of transport which can be ecological, which can be a solution in the big cities”, insisted the minister, even if it can “(pose) problems”.