Torrevieja issuing over 100 weekly fines to e-scooter rental companies

To combat the occupation of public spaces by rental electric scooters, the Torrevieja Local Police are stepping up their efforts. According to government sources, they impounded vehicles and issued approximately 100 penalties in June. In July, this rate increased, with approximately 100 fines issued each week.

The penalties pertain to the illegal parking of vehicles on public highways. The space required for refuse containers, sidewalks, parking spaces, and any other public area that rental companies deem beneficial for their services are all occupied by mobility vehicles. Additionally, users have the right to abandon their vehicles after completing their usage, provided they make payment via mobile applications. At the entrance to buildings, in the midst of the road, and on the terraces of restaurants…

The number of businesses has increased

A small number of companies compete in the market for the majority of the year. In a municipality where the 24/7 taxi service is completely overloaded and public transport is very poor, up to half a dozen additional individuals take advantage of the summer season from June to September. Recovery of a scooter from the municipal depot is subject to a levy of 17 euros per unit. Additionally, the sanction administered by SUMA is included. In total, companies that conduct this business without a permit to occupy public roads or any other municipal permit are subject to fines and fees of approximately 7,000 euros a week.

More police officers without access to educational services

The Local Police have been able to implement a methodical approach to their response to this activity due to their increased personnel. They are not required to concentrate on the daily services that mobilise the most personnel, which are the school entrances early in the morning and at 5 p.m. Additionally, the Local Police employs approximately 180 officers at present. This has been the highest figure in many years. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge that the majority of them work a 7×7 schedule, which consists of seven days off and seven days on duty.

A few weeks ago, the governing team itself, specifically the councillor for the area, Federico Alarcón, the Director General of Security, and the Mayor, passed on the recommendation to empty public spaces of rental scooters to the rest of the leadership. This is not always feasible due to the continuous working conditions that officers encounter during the summer.

Priorities

The same amount of bureaucracy as a conventional traffic citation is required for each vehicle removed, and these services continue to be performed in the early morning and afternoon. As long as tow trucks for vehicle removal are accessible, they are implemented. Other officers are responsible for managing emergency situations, while the primary objective is to remove unlawfully parked vehicles from curbs and streets.

Despite the fact that scooters are scarce in certain more central areas, they continue to be abundant on the majority of avenues and streets in Torrevieja due to the substantial profit margin, which persisted despite the penalties. Local laws do not regulate the use of public land by this irregular enterprise, and the City Council is neglecting to address the underlying causes.

Workshops and customer service spaces are distributed throughout the municipality without any complications, as the companies acquire licenses to operate them without incident. The business is founded on the principle that vehicles can be charged and repaired remotely, without incurring losses due to logistics.

Regulates

This action by the Local Police is in addition to the campaigns that have been intensified during the school year, with a sole focus on driver inspections, which has resulted in a high percentage of fines. Drivers are still being issued tickets for transporting two juveniles in unapproved vehicles, which are frequently modified to exceed the speed limit and lack rear lights. The regulations do not apply to any situation. Insurance and protection are no longer mandatory. It is incomprehensible that the General Directorate of Traffic has not yet implemented this requirement at the state level. Helmets are “highly recommended” in Torrevieja, despite the fact that many local traffic ordinances do not mandate them.

The scooter rental business would find this mandatory helmet requirement to be a significant hindrance to its operations. Despite the fact that the apps that enable scooter activation offer it generically, no one will visit the location that functions as the base of operations to retrieve it.

Public space invasion

The constant complaints and grievances from residents are a result of the scooter invasion of public spaces in a city that is ill-equipped to manage traffic other than cars and motorcycles and has only a few avenues with designated lanes for bicycles and scooters. It also results in accidents, some of which are severe, as the individuals operating the scooters, who are frequently minors, are not cognisant of traffic regulations.

On the other hand, the use of electric scooters enables hundreds of commuters to travel economically without relying on a public transport service that is insufficiently frequent and unreliable in terms of schedule, despite the fact that it remains free for registered commuters. These commuters typically wear helmets and protective gear.