Paris to vote on banning e-scooter rentals

Parisians will soon be called on to vote on whether to allow e-scooter rentals to continue in the city after a rash of accidents and accusations of unseemly behaviour.

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo told Le Parisien the issue was "extremely divisive".

Critics claim riders ignore rules against using e-scooters on pavements and show only minimal respect for road laws.

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Riders are also accused of leaving the rented scooters in parks or even dumped in the Seine River.

But adherents say the e-scooters are a fast and flexible means of transport that's easy on the environment and the pocket.

Paris has a fleet of about 15,000 scooters, according to France24, divided between three companies.

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The referendum, which Hidalgo said would simply be framed as "do we or don't we continue with free-floating rental scooters", is set for April 2.

Hidalgo said she favoured a ban personally but that the issue would be up to Parisians.

The rental companies already face their licences expiring in March.

E-scooter rentals continue to be a controversial issue in Australia too, for largely similar reasons.

Sydney began a 12-month trial of e-scooter rentals in restricted areas in the middle of last year.

Melbourne and Brisbane both have approved companies to rent out e-scooters on their streets.

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