Heidelberg restricts e-scooter: only 1,200 left!

Heidelberg restricts e-scooter: only 1,200 left!

Heidelberg, the charming university town, faces a crucial turn in the use of e-scooters. The municipal council will vote on a new concept on Thursday that should drastically reduce the number of rentable e-scooters. In the future, only three providers will be able to provide a maximum of 1,200 e-scooters, such as Antenne 1 reported. The decision is a reaction to the increasing problems that cause wildly parked e-scooters for pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users.

Since the introduction of the e-scooter in 2019, the number of vehicles has increased to around 1,700, which are provided by four providers. In order to improve the situation, eight storage areas have already been set up as a pilot project in the old town. These measures should not only increase traffic safety, but also upgrade the cityscape.

New rules for e-scooter users

The new regulations stipulate that users can only park their e-scooters on certain, excellent areas. If you do not pay attention to this, you will continue to be asked to checkout when parking outside of these zones, as the rental process cannot be completed. In addition, the providers must meet technical requirements, including sensors that report fallen e-scooters. In the coming years, the city plans to create up to 90 storage areas in the core zone, which could be associated with costs of up to 135,000 euros. The providers should be involved in these expenses by fees.

Heidelberg is not the only city that is faced with these challenges. The German Association of Cities and Municipalities has already found that many municipalities are increasingly introducing concrete contingents or driving ban zones for e-scooters. In neighboring countries, the measures are even more drastic: E-scooters were banned in Paris last year after 89 percent of the citizens voted against the rental in a survey, such as antenne 1 reported.

The planned measures in Heidelberg are a clear step towards better and safer urban design. The city administration and the providers are faced with the challenge of finding a balance between the use of e-scooters and the safety of all road users. The upcoming votes will show how serious the city means the implementation of these new rules and whether they will actually lead to an improvement in the situation.