E-scooters occupying sidewalks removed in Kadıköy

ISTANBUL

The Kadıköy Municipality has removed excessive e-scooters that were improperly parked and occupying sidewalks, which reduced the walking space and posed a hazard to pedestrian safety, and took them to the municipality warehouses.

E-scooters towed away by the municipal teams on early Jan. 17 will be returned to their owners after the penalty is issued.

“We want the use of these new generation mobility vehicles in Kadıköy to be brought under control and to put an end to the sidewalk occupations. We are against improper and unauthorized parking on the sidewalk that belongs to pedestrians,” Kadıköy Mayor Şerdil Dara Odabaşı told the media during the inspections.

The National Mobility Platform made a statement about the municipality’s move. “Our objective is to increase the number of e-scooters and bicycle lanes in Kadıköy and reduce the number of cars in the traffic.”

The National Mobility Platform made a statement over the municipality’s move. “We believe that the number of e-scooters and bicycle lanes in Kadıköy should be increased, and the number of cars in the traffic should be reduced.”

At least 682,246 people have used e-scooters, and at least 8.1 million trips have been made in Kadıköy in the last three years, it suggested, adding that there have been no fatal accidents until today and that the district ranks first in the use of e-scooters per capita in the world.

The municipality had earlier warned e-scooter renting companies to remove excess vehicles occupying sidewalks, or else they will tow them away.

In some regions of the Kadıköy district, it is quite difficult to walk on sidewalks due to scooters tied up to electricity poles, trees, signboards and entrances of buildings.