Alicante Local Police issued 315 reports in 15 days for violations in the use of e-scooters

As part of the Department of Security and Local Police’s control campaign launched between March 15th and 30th, Alicante has issued 315 fines for failure to use personal mobility vehicles (PMVs) such as electric scooters, skates, skateboards, and similar devices correctly. This activity was preceded by another, which took place between March 11th and 14th, in which officers visited 117 educational centres throughout the city to enlighten pupils on the requirements, characteristics, and various types of automobiles, as well as traffic regulations on urban roads.

Of the 315 breaches recorded by Local Police officers throughout the 15-day campaign, 113 (35%) were for riding in unauthorised pedestrian zones, while another 68 (21.6%) were for riding on unauthorised roadways, accounting for the vast majority of the anomalies discovered. Failure to wear a safety helmet also resulted in 45 additional punishments (14.3%), making it the third most common reason of noncompliance.

Aside from these violations, 19 fines have been imposed for negligent driving, 16 for driving with headphones, a helmet, or using a mobile phone, 14 for violating age limits, 13 for carrying a second passenger, 12 for using bus lanes or tram platforms, 10 for failing to use a bell, lights, or brakes, and five for other offences such as running red lights or driving the wrong way, among others. The PMV control campaign resulted in the inspection of 378 vehicles, five of which were immobilised.

According to Julio Calero, the Security Councillor, “We are working to improve road safety with campaigns like this one aimed at controlling scooters and other personal mobility vehicles, as has the Department of Urban Mobility with the installation of new radars at the main access points to the city, which have managed to reduce the speed limit on a road to 50 km/h and, therefore, improve road safety and reduce the risk of accidents.”

“The Local Police conducted a series of control campaigns that concentrated on street cleanliness and unmanaged waste (debris), resulting in 100 complaints in 10 days. We have now continued to regulate PMVs as part of an informational and instructive campaign throughout the city’s schools. “PMV drivers must know how and where they should drive, as well as their equipment and that of the vehicle, in order to comply with the municipal ordinance,” according to Calero.

The municipal campaign has highlighted forbidden places for electric scooters, including sidewalks, paved promenades, pedestrian zones, bike lanes, bus lanes and the TRAM platform.

Controls were conducted in various areas of the city, including Jijona Avenue, Plaza de España and Plaza de Santa Teresa, City Hall and Old Town, Alfonso El Sabio Avenue, Central Market and Jaime II Avenue, City of Assisi, San Blas, North Zone, Benalúa and Babel, beaches, Pintor Baeza-Colombia streets, Altozano and Los Ángeles, La Florida, southern zone around Elche Avenue, Gran Vía, and San Gabriel.

One of the campaign’s goals is to ensure that pedestrians have the right of way and travel at reasonable speeds, while simultaneously opposing careless or dangerous driving. The minimum age for electric-powered MPVs is 16, and only one seat is permitted on board. Fines for violating the municipal ordinance range from €100 to €500.

“This awareness and surveillance campaign highlights the importance of driving these vehicles with caution and the priority of respecting pedestrians and other road users,” according to Calero. “It also emphasises the need to wear a protective helmet, avoid riding on pavements or in pedestrian areas, and observe speed limits up to a maximum of 25 kilometres per hour,” she said.