Following Thursday’s announcement by the government that renting e-scooters will be banned from 1 March 2024, The Nationalist Party has stated that the Government has given in to pressure coming from them and the general public.

Through a press statement, the Opposition said that this pressure has been mounting for years from them and the general public, saying that sets of proposals to try and solve the e-scooter issue were also presented to Government throughout this time since their introduction to the Maltese islands.

PN said that “action against the dangers and inconveniences created by renting e-scooters is a step forward” and explained that “the prohibition of renting e-scooters can be seen as a solution in itself”. The Transport Ministry said on Thursday that “measures are being taken to prioritise order and public safety”.

Speaking more critically, the Opposition then stated that “this measure also shows that the Government has failed to enforce the regulations on the use of these e-scooters and this is an admission that, once again, the Government was not capable to find an adequate balance between the needs and interests of different people”.

The party then concluded its statement by saying that this is another example seen under this Government of the enforcement of regulations being thrown by the wayside and that “citizens do not feel as if they are sufficiently protected”.

Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia had told Parliament just last March that the government was looking into introducing parking bays designated specifically for e-scooters after a successful pilot project in San Ġwann. However, this never materialised and following yesterday’s announcement, it seems like there is no intention to continue regulating this rental market for (e-)scooters any longer.