A legislative initiative has been submitted to the Parliament of Cyprus aimed at changing the existing legal framework regulating the use of bicycles and electric scooters. The key idea of the proposal is the creation of an official register of such means of transport, which would allow for their accounting, identification, and control. The bill was presented last week and, as stated in the explanatory note, is intended to make the application of the law more effective in practice.
The author of the initiative, Chairman of the Green Party – Citizens’ Cooperation Stavros Papadouris, emphasizes that the current regulations do not allow for full control over the use of such devices in the urban environment. As a result, difficulties arise in ensuring safety and compliance with traffic rules.
Register and identification of vehicles
The central element of the bill is the creation of a special register of personal mobility devices. It is envisaged that all such devices will be subject to registration and will receive distinctive identification markings. This will simplify their recognition and make it possible to more quickly identify owners in the event of violations or any incidents.
In addition, the possibility of confiscating vehicles is provided if they are used in places where their movement is prohibited by law. Such measures are considered a response to the growing number of problems associated with the chaotic movement of electric scooters and similar devices on sidewalks, pedestrian zones, and roadways.
The explanatory note states that bicycles and electric scooters account for a large number of traffic violations. The absence of identification mechanisms makes it difficult to apply sanctions to their owners. In addition, according to law enforcement authorities, such devices are not infrequently used in the commission of criminal offenses, including theft and the illegal trafficking of prohibited substances. All this strengthens the arguments in favor of tightening control.
Initiative to ban electric scooters
At the same time, a separate bill is being considered in Parliament that provides for a complete ban on the use of electric scooters in public places. The initiative belongs to the Chairman of the Parliamentary Transport Committee, DIKO party MP Alekos Tryfonides.
The proposed changes concern the law regulating the movement of bicycles and personal mobility devices. According to the initiator’s position, it is necessary not only to ban the movement of electric scooters in public spaces, but also to stop the licensing of companies that rent them out for use on streets, sidewalks, and squares.
The justification for such strict measures, according to the author, is the unsatisfactory implementation of the current legislation and the growing risks to road safety. Particular attention is paid to disorderly parking and dangerous riding styles, which pose a threat both to users themselves and to pedestrians.
Context and possible consequences
The discussion of these initiatives is taking place against the backdrop of a pan-European debate on the regulation of micromobility. In many EU cities, restrictions on speed, movement zones, and parking rules for electric scooters have already been introduced, and some municipalities have opted for partial or temporary bans. Cyprus, facing the growing popularity of such devices and the lack of a culture for their use, is effectively faced with a choice between strict regulation and radical measures.
It is expected that parliamentary debates on both bills will be tense, as they directly affect issues of urban infrastructure, ecology, safety, and business. If approved, residents and tourists may face fundamentally new rules of movement in cities, and the electric scooter rental market may face serious restrictions or complete closure.
In the coming months, it will become clear whether Cyprus will choose the path of a strict ban or will settle on enhanced control and registration of personal mobility devices.
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