Chrysochoidis announces legislative changes on electric scooters – “My personal position is that they should be banned”

The Minister for Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrysochoidis, has announced plans to amend the legislation governing the use of electric scooters by minors, following a series of accidents and fatalities.

Speaking to MEGA TV, the minister referred to ongoing efforts by the traffic police to introduce basic rules, such as mandatory helmet use and speed limits, while stressing that stricter measures for minors are under consideration. As he stated: “Traffic police are trying to set rules, helmets, speed limits. Minors are not allowed to circulate on roads and there will be a new regulation.”

When asked whether scooter use is currently allowed in pedestrian zones and squares, Mr. Chrysochoidis said the issue is already being shaped into a new legal framework in cooperation with the relevant ministry, noting: “It will now be established by law, we are discussing it with Mr. Kyranakis.”

The minister also expressed his personal view on the matter, calling for stricter regulation: “A minor cannot go to school on a scooter. My personal position is that scooters should be banned. It is a shame for children to lose their lives on the roads because of scooters.”

Concluding his remarks, Mr. Chrysochoidis stressed the need for a comprehensive regulatory approach to clearly define how such devices may be used, saying: “A comprehensive regulation is needed that will either ban or restrict scooters. I understand a child’s need to play with a scooter in a square, but it is different to use it on a road. If there are no dedicated lanes for bicycles and scooters, I fear more lives will be lost.”