The Councilor for Mobility and Universal Accessibility, Evelyn Alonso, has written an official letter to the head of the Directorate-General of Traffic (DGT), Pere Navarro, urging the establishment of regulations that, among other things, aim to reduce accidents on urban roads in response to changing mobility patterns.
The City Council of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, specifically through the Mobility and Universal Accessibility department, has formally requested the Directorate-General of Traffic (DGT) to introduce a national regulation enabling the specification of certain aspects concerning Personal Mobility Vehicles (PMVs), including electric scooters in the capital.
The city’s mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, emphasised the significance of “striking a balance between mobility innovation and public safety, promoting the responsible and respectful use of electric scooters. Hence, there is a need to standardise criteria to allow all cities to implement regulations in line with the directives of the Directorate-General of Traffic.”
In the official letter from the department’s councillor, Evelyn Alonso, to the DGT Director, Pere Navarro, she outlines the “essential need for a regulation that aims to reduce accidents on urban roads in response to new mobility trends observed in our cities”.
Furthermore, she points out that “the city council, being proactive and lacking regulation in certain aspects, spearheaded the drafting of a new Mobility ordinance in 2023 including regulations concerning the conduct and requirements of the most vulnerable road users in the city, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and VMP (Personal Mobility Vehicle) users.” The councillor also “acknowledges the efforts of the DGT in updating the General Traffic Regulations and formulating the Royal Decree for the protection of vulnerable road users.”
The Mobility Department has put forward several suggestions to the DGT for enhancing the use of VMPs, including: mandating helmet use for cyclists and scooter riders; compulsory civil liability insurance to safeguard pedestrians in case of accidents; implementing a registration or identification code on vehicles for local police enforcement of infractions; establishing a minimum age requirement for bicycle and scooter usage; recommending the use of a vest or reflective accessories; and providing basic training (both theoretical and practical) for these riders.
