The Santa Cruz City Council has initially approved the new ordinance of Mobility and Road Safety of the municipalitywhich will now have to go on public display, for at least 30 days, before proposing its final approval.
One of the main innovations is the regulation of the use of Personal Mobility Vehicles (VMP) such as scooters, which is bringing so many headaches to the capital. The ordinance not only regulates the use of private VMPs, but also companies that want to develop scooter rentals. Among the novelties that it introduces, it ratifies the prohibition that these vehicles circulate on the sidewalks, the obligation of all users to wear a helmet and limits its use to those over 15 years of age.
Minors of this age may only use it in places closed to traffic and under the responsibility of their parents or guardians.
Violating any of these guidelines will be considered a very serious infraction, so the fines will range from 1,500 to 3,000 euros.
Thus, in general, scooters may not circulate on sidewalks, pedestrian spaces, pedestrian streets, squares, parks, walks, as well as those pedestrian priority areas where this prohibition is specifically marked.
Regarding the general circulation conditions, they will do so on the same roads as bicycles. “Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the absence of a cycle lane or bike lane, VMPs may not circulate on the road on those city roads whose maximum authorized speed is greater than 30 kilometers per hour.” This limits their presence in streets such as the Rambla or the Avenida de Anaga, for example.
Parking must be done in spaces provided for it. If they are full or do not exist within 200 meters, “they can park in the parking strips on the road, perpendicular to the sidewalk.” Leaving the scooter badly parked is considered a minor infraction, with fines of up to 750 euros.
Companies
Companies are forced to have an app that guarantees real-time information on the location of all vehicles, in addition to providing them with the necessary software to prevent the termination of the lease if it is parked outside the authorized spaces. Also so that it avoids its circulation on sidewalks and pedestrian spaces. The ordinance provides for the creation of a bicycle registry and VMP. In the case of private vehicles, registration would be voluntary, while in the case of companies it would be mandatory.
Regarding the use of scooters for tourist or leisure activities, it is regulated that they cannot circulate in groups of more than two people and the guide “having to maintain a distance between the different groups of more than 50 meters”.
On certain routes where the signage allows it, groups may reach six people and the guide must keep the same distance between groups.
