A study conducted by research firm 6t – commissioned by the City of Paris – has concluded that e-scooters are a safer mode of transportation than shared bikes and the most effective alternative to shift away from cars.
Though the report was delivered in May 2022 to the City, it was only recently unveiled to the public by Le Parisien. Zag Daily has had sight of the report and can disclose the main points.
The ‘Study on the uses and users of micromobility in Paris’ evaluated survey data from almost 5,000 riders from nine micromobility operators in the city.
It concluded that e-scooter riders had been involved in twice as fewer accidents (26%) than users of the Parisian public bike-sharing scheme, Vélib (51%).
The report also showed that 19% of trips made by e-scooters would have otherwise been made by a motorised mode – either a personal car, moped, taxi or ride hailing service.
This is double the amount 6t found in 2019, when mode shift from cars was just 9% of trips. It is also almost four times less than with Vélib (5%), making the e-scooters the mode with the highest impact for modal shift.
Furthermore, the report makes clear that e-scooters are predominantly used by locals (75%), with students comprising nearly a third of total riders.
Erwann Le Page, Tier’s Director of Public Policy for Western Europe, told Zag that the study helps to rationalise the debate on two fronts.
“First, in the environmental impact of our industry, with one in five scooter rides that replace a car trip. Considering the volume we handle in Paris, this is a massive contribution to the fight against pollution,” said Le Page. “Secondly, on safety, as scooters are twice as safe as shared bikes.”
Referendum
Parisians go to the polls to decide the future of e-scooter operations in the city on 2 April. The operators will launch a campaign in favour of keeping them in the next few days, according to Le Page.
“Our aim is to tell Parisians that Paris has a leadership position it needs to keep,” he said. “Otherwise, London, Washington, Madrid or even Lyon or Bordeaux in France will take over. This would be a missed opportunity for Paris to raise the bar and shine during the 2024 Olympics.”
Dott’s Chief Business Officer Nicolas Gorse said: “Voting to keep e-scooters in Paris means helping 400,000 people get around every month, with a reliable, affordable, sustainable service operated by professionals. Research shows that the users of our service are students, commuters, and people with reduced mobility who rely on e-scooters every day to move around freely.”
In 2022, Lime registered two million active rides on its e-scooters, of which 85% were Parisiens.
“Lime is undeniably an essential service in the French capital and we encourage anyone who believes in shared, affordable and carbon-free transportation to go vote on April 2nd, in order to keep shared e-scooters in Paris,” said a spokesperson.
