Montreal launched
their pilot project
in June 2019
with a total of 680
electric scooters
and electric bikes.
The electric scooters
created "disorder"
and big problems
for pedestrians
sharing sidewalks
with the scooters.
The project was halted
last week -- authorities
said the test period
had been a "failure."
Riders broke rules,
and almost always
parked illegally.
The head of city transport,
Eric Caldwell, noted
"an 80% delinquency rate"
in complying with traffic
and safety regulations.
"Only 20%
of scooters
were parked"
in dedicated s
paces,
the city said
in a press
release.
"Montreal
does not want
to become
a scooter
police force,"
Caldwell said.
"The operators
have failed to meet
their responsibility
for compliance
with the regulations.
"In 2020
there will be
no more scooters
on the streets."
Caldwell added
that the permits
for electric bikes
would be renewed,
but under tighter
regulations.
A total of 110
parking offenses
were recorded
and 333 tickets
were issued for
breaking regulations
-- mainly for not
wearing a helmet.
The good news,
unlike electric scooter
experiences in the U.S.
-- no serious accidents
occurred,
"Ultimately,
this decision will
negatively impact
the mobility and
micro-mobility
of Montrealers,"
said (scooter brand)
Bird Canada
in a statement,
though it added
the company
"looks forward to
continuing working
and collaborating
with the City
of Montreal"
to eventually bring
the scooters back.
(Scooter brand) Lime's
general manager
for Canada called the
scooter scheme's end
"a major step backwards
for the people of a city
committed to reducing
congestion and carbon
emissions."
"It's clear
there was
a real demand
for greener,
more convenient
transportation options,"
said Michael Markevich.
Electric scooters
have often been
criticized for making
sidewalks dangerous
for pedestrians.
In November 2019,
Singapore banned
electric scooters
on sidewalks,
followed by
Germany
and France.