The government does not regulate, but gives privilege: scooters on inertia

In recent years, especially since 2021, a new means of transportation has appeared in the streets of Yerevan. The number of rental electric scooters traveling on the sidewalks, in the pedestrian area, is growing rapidly. This environmentally friendly, relatively cheap and comfortable vehicle, however, has also caused complaints. On social networks, users complain that the vehicle threatens the safety of pedestrians, limits the possibility of free movement, not to mention that sometimes scooter riders go out into the traffic lane of cars and create additional dangers for themselves and other road users.

It is worth noting that accidents involving scooters have become more frequent.

Recently, YSMU Heratsi analytical center published data, according to which, in the months of March-June 2022 only, 38 people injured by scooters turned to Heratsi hospital complex No. 1. 95% of them were vehicle riders and 5% were pedestrians who were injured in a collision with a scooter.

Needless to say, 89 people died in January-June of this year as a result of violating the rules of operation of other vehicles.

As a result of accidents involving scooters, the administration of one of Yerevan’s parks even banned their use in the park.

“Hopefully, in the near future, there will be separate lanes or paths for scooters in our city due to which the traffic with this vehicle will be safe and secure,”  reads the statement of the park administration.

Fact Investigation Platform studied the sector to find out how the competent authorities regulate the traffic of scooters and the activities of the companies that provide them for rent.

The operation of scooters is not regulated by law, accident statistics are not maintained

In response to FIP.am’s inquiry, the RA Police informs that separate regulations regarding the traffic of scooters are currently not defined by the RA legislation.

At the same time, they inform that “in the course of their daily activities, they constantly study the international practice of ensuring road traffic safety and accordingly undertake the necessary legal and organizational measures in order to introduce them in RA.”

“Based on the study, the draft laws on Amendments to the Law on Road Traffic Safety and on Amendments and Additions to the Code of the Republic of Armenia on Administrative Offenses was developed,which is currently under internal discussion by the RA Police,” the police report.

The police also note that no separate records are kept for accidents involving scooters.

Scooters park and ride wherever they happen to be

In a conversation with Hovik Safaryan, the head of the Department of Trade and Services of the Yerevan Municipality, the Fact Investigation Platform also found out that the community does not have any authority and leverage to regulate the activities of the companies that provide scooters for rent.

It turns out that this type of activity is not included in the RA Law on Licensing, therefore, the municipality is not authorized to grant or deny the permission for the activity of any company that provides scooters for rent in the community.

The municipality informed FIP.am that they do not regulate the parking of scooters either. For this purpose, the community does not allocate a special area, and the operators park their scooters in arbitrary places without agreement with the municipality.

As for the actions of the municipality in this direction, we learn from the statement of the police that on July 19, the police chief Vahe Ghazaryan and Hrachya Sargsyan discussed the issue of regulation of the issue of scooters during a working meeting.

The executive gives the privilege to the company conducting activities that are not regulated by law

The absence of legislation regulating the operation of scooters, however, did not prevent the RA government from granting a 2.7 million drams privilege to “EGEA” limited liability company on November 25, 2021, to introduce an electric scooter rental service.

In the justification of the relevant decision of the government, it is mentioned that it is planned to invest 37 million drams for the purchase of electric scooters and spare parts.

“The activity will initially be carried out in Yerevan, then in marzes and tourist areas. The aim of the project is to provide residents and tourists of Yerevan with fast, ecologically clean and safe transportation,” the justification states.

Thus, although the number of scooters continues to grow as vehicles, the relevant authorities have not yet provided legislation and infrastructure to regulate their safe traffic. Moreover, the executive gives a privilege to a company engaged in a type of activity not regulated by law.

Nane Manasyan