Serious issues have arisen with electric scooters placed on sidewalks and circulating on roads, and no one seems willing to take charge.
The Cyprus Paraplegic Association recently issued a statement urging relevant authorities to take immediate action.
According to the announcement, “recently, it has been observed that in areas where licenses were granted to electric scooter rental companies to operate, these scooters are being placed on sidewalks both by the companies and by users. This creates obstacles and dangers for pedestrians and people with disabilities, often rendering the sidewalks inaccessible for individuals in wheelchairs or pushing strollers.”
At the same time, electric scooter riders navigate on roads alongside vehicles, posing a risk to lives.
They are often used by individuals below the permissible age limit and frequently carry passengers without helmets.
The Police, when approached for comment, stated that they cannot control the scooters and that it falls under the responsibility of municipalities that grant the relevant licenses.
Penalties have been issued to scooter operators, mainly for not wearing helmets or riding on prohibited roads. However, it was emphasized that “it is not the job of the Police to monitor scooters.”
The problem escalated when sidewalks in the central and wider areas of Nicosia and Limassol became cluttered with scooters, hindering the free access of people with disabilities, mothers with baby strollers, and pedestrians.
According to information obtained by Phileleftheros, municipalities issuing licenses to electric scooter rental companies also designate parking spaces for the scooters.
These are primarily areas where bicycles are parked, specifically designed not to obstruct pedestrians.
However, some users leave the scooters wherever convenient, leading to blockages and problems in the unhindered passage of pedestrians.
Simultaneously, there is an increasing number of complaints from citizens reporting that scooters are being thrown into pedestrian areas or abandoned in fields without anyone addressing the issue.
Photos of scooters in water bodies in Pedieos have even been circulated online.
The Union of Municipalities is now addressing the problem after receiving several complaints.
The problem is concentrated in city centers and areas around universities.
According to legislation, scooters are allowed to circulate on roads up to 30 km/h, on bike lanes, and in areas designated by municipalities, but not on roads with speed limits of 50 km/h and above.
