May 31, 2024
In December 2023, we commissioned an independent study by Deloitte to assess how European cities regulate scooter sharing and how different regulatory models impact these cities and their residents.
Since the launch of the first shared e-scooter services in the mid-2010s, cities have implemented various regulation models, ranging from unregulated open markets to tenders or bans.
The biggest challenge? Striking a balance between clear rules for shared scooter operations and ensuring operators have the freedom to design and deliver services that maximise micromobility benefits for cities.
To date, no empirical research has been done to understand the advantages and disadvantages of different regulatory models.
That’s why we commissioned Deloitte to conduct an independent, comprehensive review of the various shared scooter regulations in Europe and their respective impact on residents in terms of total trips, usage per vehicle, and costs for cities and users.
The study is based on 155 European cities and an exhaustive assessment of their regulatory frameworks. Below, you’ll see its main findings.
The study identified the shared e-scooter regulatory models implemented across Europe. They’re grouped as follows:
The study identified that stricter regulation is often sought to establish better control of shared scooters, especially regarding safety and parking, but it found that light and medium regulatory models give cities sufficient control.
Table 1: Examples of cities with light and medium regulatory models:
| 🔎Vilnius, Lithuania. Open market. | 🔎Lisbon, Portugal. Medium regulations. | 🔎Düsseldorf, Germany. Medium regulations. |
| Vilnius introduced mandatory parking in central city areas and low-speed zones. Such basic measures have proven to be particularly efficient in improving parking quality in the city. | Lisbon sets clear requirements for scooter operators, including mandatory parking, minimum response time in case of poorly parked scooters, and technology implementation to educate users about correct parking. | Düsseldorf employs an authorisation system to manage and control the use of public space by operators. They regulate the fleet size of each operator, charge fees for public space use, and mandate parking spots in specific areas of the city. |
The study found that users pay roughly 19% more per ride in cities with high regulation than in cities with light regulation. Due to the higher cost, cities with high regulations have fewer shared scooter rides per resident.
This means cities with high regulations may inadvertently be stifling the growth of shared scooters and limiting their benefits.
There are financial consequences for cities, too.
The more regulated a market, the more financial resources a city needs to allocate to prepare and monitor shared e-scooter services while achieving the same level of control offered by less complex regulatory frameworks.
| The cost is the most for high regulation regimes, with cities spending up to 160 days per year managing tenders and monitoring compliance. The city of Oslo conducts a tender every year, costing roughly €500,000 each time. |
More restrictive regulation also provides less flexibility for local governments. They have less opportunity to change rules enhancing safety or scooter parking as their city’s needs change.
Based on the study’s findings, Deloitte gives 5 recommendations for cities:
Supportive regulation is important to expanding the benefits of shared scooters. However, we believe operators have a role to play in earning the trust of cities and users.
That’s why we’re continuously developing new measures to improve safety and mitigate any other negative impacts on urban environments.
Tap here to see the full study.
