IMM brought the directive, which it prepared to regulate the operation and use of electric scooters, on the UKOME agenda for the second time due to the fact that the regulation has not been published for 8 months. Government representatives did not vote for the adoption of the directive, stating that the relevant law would be enacted in March. Deputy Secretary General of IMM, Orhan Demir, said that people have been dying for 8 months due to lack of control. The Directive would play an important role in ensuring the safety of scooter users and traffic.
With the addition of pandemic conditions to the increasing motor vehicle traffic and passenger mobility in the city life, the demand for electric scooters increased. E-Scooters offer citizens the freedom of movement and protection from viruses in short distances, while also easing the burden of traffic and public transportation.
Based on these developments, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Department of Transportation prepared a directive by examining all similar directives in Europe and America in order to regulate the electric scooter operation that has become widespread in Istanbul. Sending the text to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization with 7 e-scooter companies serving in the sector, IMM finalized the text and sent it back to the Ministry, taking into account the feedback from the companies.
The directive created was submitted to UKOME on 25 June 2020 and the directive was transferred to the subcommittee after voting. The directive was presented to the members and the members of the commission stated that the ministries were working on this issue. The text, which was presented to the UKOME agenda again in July, was rejected by the votes of the Government representatives.
In the following process, the subject was taken under the responsibility of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure from the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. In December 2020, Parliament brought to the agenda, "Turkey Environment Agency Proposal of the Law on the Establishment", the electric scooters (e-scooters) were included as a tool to Highways Traffic Act. The usage age was defined as 16, and the areas of use as bicycle paths and highways below 50km / h.
In the same month, the "Shared Electric Scooter Operation Regulation" was sent to the relevant institutions and metropolitan municipalities by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, and their opinion was sought. IMM Transportation Department conveyed its opinion on the draft regulation to the Ministry in December.
Although approximately 8 months have passed since the preparation of the electric scooter directive in Istanbul and submitted to UKOME, and 2 months after the IMM submitted its last opinion to the Ministry, no regulation has been made regarding e-scooter operation.
Therefore, IMM; He brought the Electric Scooter Sharing System Directive to the agenda for the second time today at the UKOME meeting held in Yenikapı Eurasia Show Center. Government representatives stated that the law will be enacted next month and that there should be regulations and directives after the law, and asked for the proposal to be referred to the sub-commission.
Deputy Secretary General of the IMM, Orhan Demir, stated that they had been waiting for 8 months and there were deaths due to the inability to control traffic and reminded that they gave the directive to the Ministry. Emphasizing that the scope of the law to be enacted is almost the same, Demir said, “When the law is passed, the directive will be invalidated. Or necessary corrections will be made. However, during this period, young people using scooters will continue to die ”.
The adoption of the directive was rejected by a majority vote of the Government representatives. The directive was unanimously referred to the subcommittee for re-evaluation.
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