Starting July 1, new rules for the use of rental electric scooters come into effect in Lviv. City authorities have announced stricter control over vehicle parking in the historic center and the paid parking zone. Violation of the new norms threatens users with a fine of 100 hryvnias.
Parking restrictions and new fines
According to the resolution of the Lviv City Council, trips can now only be completed in specially designated zones. Their location will be displayed in the mobile applications of rental services. The ability to leave a scooter in an arbitrary place is limited.
Rental operators have introduced an additional fee of 100 hryvnias for those who violate parking rules. The city hall emphasizes that the innovations are introduced in a test mode. Over the course of two months, city authorities will evaluate the effectiveness of the system. If necessary, the boundaries of the zones and the number of parking spaces may be adjusted.
Safety of pedestrians and people with disabilities
The Mayor of Lviv and city authorities explain the changes as a necessity to ensure the safety of all road users. Parking spaces were determined taking into account the interests of pedestrians and people with disabilities. The main goal is to prevent the blocking of passages and the creation of obstacles on sidewalks.
City residents are advised to check the location of the nearest permitted parking in the app before starting a trip and to plan the route in advance. This will help avoid unnecessary expenses and conflicts with inspectors.
Injury statistics and plans to tighten control
The reason for the introduction of new rules was a sharp increase in the number of injuries. According to city hall data, only in the last three months, more than 100 children were hospitalized in Lviv after riding electric scooters. In this regard, authorities remind of the need to comply with basic safety rules:
- Use of a protective helmet.
- Prohibition on children operating electric scooters.
- Awareness of pedestrians.
- Leaving a minimum of two meters of free space when parking.
The city council is also working on further tightening the rules. In particular, it is planned to introduce mandatory age verification for users and allow rental only to persons over 16 years of age. The possibility of making helmet use mandatory and limiting the speed to 15 km/h on dangerous sections is also being considered.
Legislative initiatives at the national level
The problem of regulating small electric transport goes beyond the scope of a single city. A draft law has already been registered in the Verkhovna Rada proposing to regulate the use of electric scooters, unicycles, and similar means of transportation. The document provides for the introduction of new fines for drivers, as well as increased liability for violating traffic rules for pedestrians, cyclists, and users of animal-drawn transport.