Paris has dealt a significant blow to shared micromobility companies Lime, Dott and Tier by voting to ban rental e-scooters from the city’s streets. The move is feared to have a ripple effect in other cities. Paris was one of the most heavily regulated e-scooter markets, which companies pointed to as an example of how they can play nice with cities. Despite limiting scooter speeds and requiring riders to use dedicated parking areas, Paris has become the first city to reverse its policy on offering contracts to shared micromobility companies.
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Paris residents voted overwhelmingly (89%) in a referendum organized by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo to remove shared e-scooters from the city. The three companies with contracts to operate in the city, totaling 15,000 e-scooters, will have to pull out of the city by September 1.
Initially welcoming shared e-scooters to Paris, Hidalgo pushed for the city to become more livable by reclaiming parking spots from cars to create new bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly areas. However, shared scooters received pushback from many city residents who complained about reckless driving and clutter on sidewalks.
