Dutch minister wants e-scooters on the road in 2025 – much to the dismay of Amsterdam
Although e-scooters are a normal phenomenon in many European cities, you don’t see them in the Netherlands. That’s because using an e-scooter is restricted to private driveways or gardens, but it’s illegal to ride it on public roads and cycle paths and you’ll be fined €280. However, this could soon change.
Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is currently working on a bill to make e-scooters street legal, local newspaper Het Parool reports.
If the bill is approved by the House of Representatives, e-scooters that meet the criteria of the National Road Traffic Service (DMV) will be allowed on cycle paths from 2025. This also means that ride-sharing providers such as Lime, Tier and Dott can offer their vehicles in the country.
The news provokes strong reactions from the municipality of Amsterdam, which is hesitant to include the popular two-wheelers in the already overcrowded cycle paths.
Melanie van der Horst, a spokesman for the city council, told the newspaper that the municipality of Amsterdam, along with several others in the country, has sent a letter to the ministry expressing concerns about road safety problems.
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Even if the bill is passed, Amsterdam can still keep shared e-scooters out, according to Van der Horst. It is the authority of the municipality whether or not to grant the exemption necessary for carriers to offer transport services in the public space.
In addition to Amsterdam, Utrecht and The Hague are also fiercely opposed to e-scooters whizzing through their streets, he said BNR radio.
Not only the Dutch cities are in favor of the two-wheeler ban. Paris will also end shared e-scooters from September, following a city-wide referendum.
