The UK has been slow to legalise e-scooters relative to other nations, but has committed to doing so through the creation of a low-speed, zero-emission vehicle category. This has however been pushed back until late this year at the earliest with the government seemingly keen to sit and watch how things progress elsewhere before reaching firm decisions. As such, an upcoming public vote on whether to continue e-scooter hire schemes in Paris could prove influential.

This time last year, France created a new cyclomobiles légers vehicle category in its traffic code to cover e-scooters and other 25km/h electric vehicles without pedals. It had already been running share schemes similar to those in operation in the UK.

However, the 15,000 hire e-scooters in operation in Paris are not universally popular to the extent that mayor Anne Hidalgo has now said residents will be asked "a very simple question" in a referendum planned for April 2: "Do we or don't we continue with free-floating rental scooters?"

France 24 reports that Hidalgo herself is leaning towards a ban but said she would "respect Parisians' vote".

The move has not come out of the blue. While Paris was the first city in Europe to trial e-scooter share schemes in 2018, it tightened regulations in 2020, reducing the number of operators to three and demanding automatic tracking and 20km/h speed restriction – or even 10km/h in some areas. Designated parking zones were also introduced.

However, concerns remain. In November, speaking to the Guardian, deputy mayor David Belliard highlighted safety, parking and the environmental impact of e-scooters, which he said were, “slightly throwaway and have a very short life.”

Belliard recently said there was “too much negative feedback” about e-scooters and argues a ban would, "pacify our streets and pavements".

Strikingly, however, privately-owned e-scooters would not be affected by a ban. Hidalgo says that this is because these vehicles are, "not a problem".