Malta Needs Clear Electric Scooter Rules To Put An End To Obstruction And Nuisance, Adrian Delia Says
Nationalist MP and transport spokesperson Adrian Delia has urged the government to introduce clear regulations on electric scooters.
Delia published a photo of two e-scooters parked on the pavement in Sliema’s Tower Road, blocking a wheelchair-bound elderly man from passing.
“It’s good that there are non-polluting means of alternative transport, but if they don’t know the meaning of respect, then rules must be introduced immediately and fully enforced.”
Asked by Lovin Malta what kind of rules he is envisaging, Delia said the government must first “understand how the market works”.
He said it must then ensure regulations are put in place to prioritise safety, ensure scooters don’t encumber or obstruct the movement of pedestrians and vehicles, ensure they don’t cause a nuisance and safeguard third-party private property.
Delia urged people to post photos of scooters causing danger or inconvenience to people on his Facebook page and several people complied.
Sliema mayor John Pillow weighed in too, warning e-scooters are currently one of the biggest problems in his town.
A quarter of all e-scooter fines issued last year were handed out in Sliema.
Official data shows that 4,702 e-scooter fines were issued in 2021, up from a mere four in 2020. Most fines – 1,491 – were issued to scooters which caused an obstruction or inconvenience to the public.
Meanwhile, 1,253 fines were issued for scooters left parked on the pavement, 724 for obstructing free passage and 644 for parking on a double yellow line.
However, hundreds of fines ended up forgiven after a court ruled that law enforcement officials had wrongly fined a Bolt Malta official in his personal capacity rather than in his capacity as a company representative.
Should there be more regulations on e-scooters?
READ NEXT: 'Disability Is Something Created By An Inaccessible Society': Maltese Rights Group Warns Of Attitudinal Barriers
