Linköping seeks to bring orderliness to micromobility landscape

The city has implemented legislation and specified parking spaces for e-scooters and bikes

Electric scooters have become an increasingly common image of the cityscape. But the municipal authorities of Linköping have decided to remind residents and riders that there are also rules to comply with according to current legislation.

This includes how and where the user drives and parks his electric scooter. The Swedish municipality has produced a map that will make it easier for electric cyclists to find a suitable parking space in the city and not clutter the sidewalks.

Despite the lower speeds of scooters traffic incidents involving them have become common with the devices’ rise in popularity

On the map, e-scooter riders can see suggestions for suitable places to park their two-wheeler in the central parts of Linköping.

“The parking areas are marked as a white box with a symbol representing a bicycle and an electric scooter. For further information and possible changes, you can update yourself on our website,” said André Alfonsson, a traffic engineer at the Environmental and community building Department.

He also explained that electric scooters must be ridden on a cycle path or carriageway and must not be parked in a dangerous or obstructive manner, in accordance with the Traffic Ordinance. This means that electric scooters may not go on pedestrian streets at speeds higher than a walking person.

The parking situation turns problematic when electric scooters have not been placed correctly. The municipality, therefore, works together with the private companies that rent out electric scooters to find a solution to the situation. The Municipality of Linköping has produced a letter of intent that the companies have signed and are expected to follow. 

The letter of intent contains provisions on, for example, parking and acceptable behaviour among users. The idea is that the micromobility providers will inform and remind their customers about the conditions and rules of usage.

Passers-by who see an incorrectly parked electric scooter can report them on the municipality's website. The case will be then forwarded to the company that rents out the scooters, which will have four hours to correct the situation.