Around SEK 12 million – this is how much the e-scooter companies have to pay to the municipality so far this year due to incorrect parking.
– It is the companies’ own responsibility, but sometimes it is not done. Then we can move in, says Malinda Flodman, press officer at the Traffic Office in the City of Stockholm.
From September 1, 2022, electric scooters must be parked in specially designated places in Stockholm, and last year the municipality created around 700 new parking spaces for electric scooters. Although the Traffic Office has seen an improvement, there are many who still do not follow the rule.
– When we are going to sweep and clear snow and things like that, it is important that there are no electric scooters in the way on footpaths and cycle paths. So it’s still a problem, says Malinda Flodman.
The owner companies themselves are responsible for moving incorrectly parked e-scooters. When that doesn’t happen, the city of Stockholm can step in and then the companies are invoiced, according to Malinda Flodman, press officer at the Traffic Office at the City of Stockholm.
Bill of several millions
The owner companies must pay SEK 250 per electric scooter that is moved shorter distances, and SEK 500 per electric scooter that has been picked up at the staging area in Lunda in Spånga. In September, the municipality moved 4,298 electric scooters – which amounts to invoices of just over SEK 1.3 million.
So far in 2023, the city of Stockholm has moved roughly 45,000 bicycles, of which almost 10,000 were moved a longer distance. The invoices to the companies are over ten million kroner.
It is the municipality’s parking attendants who move the electric scooters.
– It is quite heavy to move electric scooters, especially if you have to move several, says Malinda Flodman, press officer at the Traffic Office.
The municipality: Does not profit from this
If the municipality receives any surplus when the companies have paid the invoices, it goes back to traffic maintenance, says Malinda Flodman.
– It costs money to administer this. If we get any surplus, it goes towards maintenance.