Draft decree would allow scooter confiscations for up to 90 days

Nicosia, Cyprus. A draft decree would allow police and authorised municipal traffic wardens to confiscate electric scooters for between 30 and 90 days for specified violations, Public Works Department Executive Engineer Charis Christodoulou said on Thursday.

The proposal comes as Nicosia Municipality plans more than 100 scooter parking points and expands areas with 30km/h speed limits.

Public consultation and proposed penalties

Christodoulou said the Public Works Department has prepared the draft decree and launched a public consultation through the eDiavoulevsi platform, which will remain open until September 26.

Following the consultation, the text will be sent to the Law Office for the required legislative review, he said.

Under the draft rules, officers could confiscate a scooter in addition to issuing a fine for three violations: operating a device in an unauthorised area, use by a person under 17, and use of a device capable of exceeding the legal 25km/h speed limit.

The confiscation period would range from 30 to 90 days. After 30 days, owners could pay the fine and recover their device under set conditions, while scooters could remain confiscated until court proceedings if the fine is not paid.

Safety and operating restrictions

Christodoulou said electric scooters have road safety limitations that users, particularly parents of minors, should consider.

He said riders must maintain their own balance and that speed increases the risk for inexperienced users. The small profile of scooters and riders can also make them more difficult for other road users to see, particularly at night, when scooter lights are positioned lower than car lights, he said.

Small wheels also raise risks on uneven road surfaces, including potholes, he added.

Personal mobility devices are legally permitted only in areas with speed limits of up to 30km/h and on cycling infrastructure, Christodoulou said. Most urban roads have a 50km/h limit, limiting where scooters can legally operate.

He referred to the recent increase in the permitted age to 17 and urged parents to take supervisory measures. He said the legal framework prioritises road safety.

Infrastructure and municipal measures

Christodoulou said cycling infrastructure projects are under construction across Cyprus and stressed the importance of municipalities creating more 30km/h zones.

The Ministry of Transport has approved areas and established a grant process for municipalities to create such zones, which he said are considerably easier to implement than cycling infrastructure.

Nicosia Mayor Charalambos Prountzos said the municipality has designated more than 100 scooter parking points in its new licensing round, following discussions with rental companies.

Construction of the parking points will begin shortly, he said, with the aim of preventing scooters from being left across the city and obstructing pedestrians.

Rental scooter controls

Prountzos said rental scooters are licensed by the municipality and may operate only on authorised routes. An automatic shutdown system is activated if they leave those routes, he said.

The municipality has identified cases in which GPS systems were disabled, he added. New licences will provide for the automatic revocation of a rental company’s licence if one of its scooters is found on an unauthorised route.

Prountzos also supported a ban on importing private scooters capable of exceeding the legal maximum speed and said rules covering helmets and other protective measures could be introduced.

He said micromobility can help reduce car use, particularly in Nicosia, which he said is home to around 50,000 students, while stressing that scooter use must be safe for riders, drivers and pedestrians.