Municipality drawing up regulations for rented e-scooters

The Mayor of Central Corfu, Stefanos Poulimenos, met yesterday with the representatives of the company Hoppy Mobility, which leases electric scooters, along with the relevant Deputy Mayors and administrative officials. They discussed the company's activities on the island extensively and the regulations regarding the circulation of e-scooters, for which there is, however, an ambiguous legislative framework.

The municipal authority focused on the danger of their circulation, as well as their exclusion from the historic centre. It is worth noting, however, that the company has already voluntarily suspended their use in the old town since Palm Sunday.

The area in which they can circulate is controlled through the GPS technology available in the e-scooters, so if the user attempts to pass the red line on the app, the scooter automatically shuts down.

Green micro-mobility

The approximately 100 e-scooters leased by the company, which have sparked significant discussion both on social media and in the Municipal Council, are equipped with state-of-the-art smart technology software to operate according to specific restrictions through a dedicated app.

The company spokesperson told Enimerosi that these scooters represent the quintessential form of "green" micro-mobility, as they constitute the coveted solution to serious traffic congestion and parking space shortage. In other words, anyone can park their car in the wide perimeter of the town centre and then reach their destination within minutes.

At the same time, the adjustments made by the administrator automatically control the e-scooter in terms of speed, area, and permitted parking spots. This way, the speed at which they move is regulated and reduced in the town centre. On the other hand, any private e-scooter will circulate freely without restrictions, speed limits, etc!

"We followed the recommendations of the Traffic Police."

He also stated that the company had reached out to all local authorities for cooperation and information in a timely way, with no response from anyone except the Traffic Police. Following their guidance, Solari and Ethniki Antistaseos were deemed unsuitable roads, so their use was cut off from the app. According to the current institutional framework - as stated by the company - there is no licensing required from the Municipality, and the only requirement is the formal commencement of operations.

The Municipality's authority is limited to granting communal spaces for parking, which it must approve, while traffic issues are a matter for the Traffic Police.

Following the discussion with the Mayor, it was agreed to remove the area from NAOΚ to Spilia from the app and to precisely define the areas where parking would be allowed, with the corresponding fee.

Request for Parking Spaces

Following the meeting, the Municipality announced the following:

It was made clear a) that the entire operation of the company in our town has no approval from our Municipality and b) there is no possibility of licensing such an enterprise in the area of the town protected as a cultural monument.

The company committed to cease the circulation of said vehicles in the old town as it is legally defined, and on Monday, May 13, 2024, to submit a request to the Municipal Council for the determination of parking spaces in the area outside the old town.

Therefore, until the decision of the Municipal Council is made, no licence has been granted for the operation of these vehicles, and the Company managing them bears sole responsibility for their operation.

The Municipality has taken legal action to certify violations to date, as provided.