A new wave of public debate regarding urban safety is unfolding in Kyiv. A petition calling for a complete ban on electric scooter rental services in the capital has appeared on the official website of the Kyiv City State Administration (KCCA). The initiative, authored by Dmytro Kovalskyi, has already gathered nearly 600 signatures, aiming for the threshold of 6,000 required for mandatory consideration by the authorities.
Pedestrian Safety: From Complaints to Ban
The petition author justifies his proposal by citing serious threats allegedly posed by micro-transport vehicles. The text details incidents that served as a catalyst for the signature drive: collisions with pedestrians, including children and the elderly, as well as injuries sustained by passengers when multiple people are transported on a single scooter. Kovalskyi claims that existing agreements between the city and rental operators have proven ineffective and fail to address the problem of chaotic sidewalk usage.
"Micro-transport on sidewalks has become a real threat to the health and lives of city residents," the petition emphasizes. Special attention is drawn to the blockage of pedestrian infrastructure, where scooters left in unauthorized areas turn sidewalks into labyrinths dangerous for movement.
The Chernivtsi Precedent: An Example for the Capital
As a successful example of resolving the issue, the petition author cites the situation in Chernivtsi. In August 2026, the authorities of that city made a radical decision to completely ban electric scooter rentals. This step was taken following mass complaints from residents about chaotic parking and the real danger to pedestrians. Operators were given only two weeks to remove their vehicles from the city streets, which effectively meant the termination of cooperation memorandums.
Supporters of the Kyiv initiative are urging the city hall to follow the example of Chernivtsi, asserting that compromises no longer work and that a total ban on operator activities is the only way out.
Deadlines and Review Mechanism
The petition must gather the necessary 6,000 signatures within 54 days. Currently, 582 people have supported the initiative. If the threshold is reached, Kyiv authorities will be legally obligated to officially review the appeal and provide a response within the statutory timeframe. This could become the first step towards revising the entire micromobility system in the Ukrainian capital.
Contradictory Data
While the petition initiators insist on the complete ineffectiveness of current regulations, the position of city authorities and rental operators may differ. Proponents of micromobility development argue that electric scooters are an important element of eco-friendly transport, solving the "last mile" problem. They claim that the issue lies not in the devices themselves, but in riding culture and insufficient police control, rather than the need for a total ban. Furthermore, some experts point out that the ban in Chernivtsi led to an increase in taxi prices and a decrease in city mobility, which could become a serious argument for opponents of a total ban in Kyiv.
