Paris: Lime, Dott, and Tier try to save their scooters

The operators hope to convince city officials who are questioning the relevance of this mode of transportation.

Dockless electric scooters are under scrutiny by the Paris city hall. David Belliard (the city’s transportation deputy) recently threatened outright bans. Along with questioning the ecological impact of this transportation mode, the EELV representative pointed out illegal parking and dangerous behavior among some users.

Today, Lime, Dott, and Tier need to act to prove that banning them would be a mistake. In a document consulted by Le Parisien, the operators attempted to persuade city officials by responding point by point to their critics.

The three companies state that the issue of disorderly parking is no longer significant, thanks to the deployment of 800 agents across the city. According to them, 96% of scooters are now properly parked in Paris. Regarding ecological considerations, significant progress has reportedly been made in recent years. The average lifespan of a shared scooter, which was five to six weeks in 2019, is now around 5 years.

An eco-friendly transportation method that’s less dangerous than often claimed

The idea that these devices would replace walking is also considered incorrect by the three main operators. The average distance of a scooter trip in Paris (3.2 km) seems too long to support this hypothesis. In fact, according to the operators, scooters mainly serve as a complement to public transportation, and since those are currently not functioning well, scooters have never been more important.

The document also addresses concerns about the safety of this mode of transport. To defend themselves, Lime, Dott, and Tier assert that the accident rate among scooter users is not higher than that of cyclists. Most falls are reportedly caused by motorized vehicles.

Rather than adopting a solely defensive posture, the companies say they are willing to make efforts and have identified potential improvements themselves (such as license plates, age controls, etc.). They would also agree to pay higher fees if dedicated parking areas increased. But will this be enough to persuade the municipality?

Also read: Lorient: electric scooter rentals, a first in Brittany