Norway caps number of electric scooters for hire in Oslo and bans them completely after 11pm - when users are more likely to be drunk - in a bid to curb accidents
Norway has capped the number of electric scooters for hire in Oslo and banned them completely after 11pm - when users are more likely to be drunk - in a bid to curb accidents.
A convenience for some, a nuisance and potential hazard for other, the rise of electric scooters has become a divisive issue in many cities around the world.
The Norwegian capital has decided to cap the number of scooters available for hire, reducing the number from more than 20,000 to 8,000 as of September.
In addition, from August, there will be a ban on scooter rentals between 11pm and 5am, when people are more likely to be drunk.
Norway has capped the number of electric scooters for hire in Oslo and banned them completely after 11pm - when users are more likely to be drunk - in a bid to curb accidents (pictured, e-scooters in London)
Oslo has one of the highest scooter density rates in Europe, with 200 scooters per 10,000 residents, compared to only 125 in Stockholm and less than 50 in Berlin.
'It's been an untenable situation for many years in our city, especially for the blind, visually impaired, wheelchair users and the elderly,' city councillor Sirin Stav, who oversees the environment and transport, said in a statement.
The UK trials electric scooters in 30 areas
More than 30 areas in the UK, including parts of London, are running electric scooter rental trials.
E-scooters are otherwise illegal on UK roads.
The trial, which started in the capital, on June 7, has been hailed as a key part of the city's sustainable future and post- pandemic recovery.
E-scooters are currently available for hire in Ealing, Canary Wharf, Hammersmith and Fulham, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Richmond upon Thames.
It costs 14-20p per minute as well as a £1 unlocking fee.
The rental scooters can reach speeds of up to 15.5mph - less than the 68mph of some privately owned models.
Users need a driving licence with a category Q entitlement.
Norwegian doctors sounded the alarm last week as they noted an increase in the number of accidents involving electric scooters, with 856 injuries in Oslo since the beginning of the year, 57 percent of which occurred between 11 pm and 5 am.
They called for an overnight suspension, estimating it could prevent between 300 and 400 accidents during the summer alone.
'From the accident numbers we see that there is a higher risk for serious injuries when electric scooters are ridden at night,' Stav said.
Acting chief physician Angelina Sergeeva at Sunnaa's Rehabilitation Hospital told VG around a third of e-scooter patients suffered a head injury and that half were under the influence of alcohol.
The municipality will also set requirements on where the scooters can be used, he added.
Among the roughly dozen private operators active in Oslo, some already restrict night-time rentals.
Many introduced weekend curfews after it was revealed 30 per cent of all weekend A&E patients were involved in scooter accidents.
Voi has instead curbed the maximum speed during night hours and added a reaction test within their app to screen for potentially drunk riders.
The 8,000 scooter permits are to be distributed among operators that file applications.
The scooters will also have to be dropped off and collected from designated areas in the city, just as with bikes.
Oslo has one of the highest scooter density rates in Europe, with 200 scooters per 10,000 residents, compared to only 125 in Stockholm and less than 50 in Berlin