The e-scooter directive prepared for Istanbul was unanimously accepted at the IMM UKOME meeting. In addition, as of June 1, the entry and exit route points of vehicles that make two-way transit freight transport between Europe and Asia and use the Northern Marmara Highway have been arranged. Speaking after the meeting, IMM Deputy Secretary General Orhan Demir underlined that there was no legal regulation regarding the use of scooters before and said, “The Ministry of Transport has prepared a new scooter regulation. The directive here actually determined how and where the scooter can or cannot be used in Istanbul, its speeds and where it will be parked.
IMM Transportation Coordination Center (UKOME) meeting convened at 1453 Çırpıcı Social Facilities under the chairmanship of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Secretary General Can Akın Çağlar. Although it was included in the UKOME agenda several times before, the scooter directive, which was submitted to the subcommittee because the ministry did not issue a regulation, was also included in the UKOME agenda today.
DECISION HAS BEEN UNANIMOUSLY
After the electric scooter regulation of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, which was published in the Official Gazette on April 14, 2021, the e-scooter directive prepared for Istanbul was unanimously accepted at the IMM UKOME meeting. Making statements to the press after the meeting, IMM Deputy Secretary General Orhan Demir said that there was no legal regulation regarding the use of scooters before. Stating that the Ministry of Transport has prepared a new scooter regulation, Demir said, “This regulation includes the main principles of determining the number of scooters to be used in the future, how many companies can operate scooters, and how they will be distributed to the districts. However, the directive specific to Istanbul was determined by the UKOME decision in which regions of Istanbul it could be used and what the number would be. The directive here actually determined how and where the scooter can be used or not used in Istanbul. Velocities were determined. It has been determined where to park,” he said.
“THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS TO DEFINE THE AUDITOR'S AUTHORITY”
Stating that the most important part of the directive is the regulation about the park, Demir made the following assessment:
“I think that the pedestrian traffic of the scooters left haphazardly on the sidewalks while our citizens are walking, and the obstacles of walking for the disabled, people with baby carriages will disappear. Parking places will be determined. They will just park there. It will be determined who can use it and how. Most importantly, their number will be determined. Both the ministry and the IMM will be able to see where it is rented, where it is left, where it is used. The most important part is that the supervisory body is clear.”
“IN ISTANBUL, THERE WILL BE ABOUT 75 THOUSAND SCOOTERS”
When a journalist asked about the number of scooters in Istanbul, Demir said, “Nobody knows, it is estimated to be around 30 thousand. In world examples, the numbers are determined by population. In the regulation issued by the Ministry; There was a scooter rate for every 200 people living in the city. We adopted the same ratio. There will be around 75 thousand scooters in Istanbul. A maximum of one fifth of this number will be given to each company that wants to operate scooters. There are also conditions for taking applications. Not everyone will be able to operate scooters as they want.”
PERMISSION WILL BE 2 YEARS
According to the new directive, authorization certificate holders will apply to the IMM Transportation Department between June 15 and July 15 to obtain shared e-scooter permission. Companies will be presented with sketches indicating the stops and locations for each scooter. Shared e-scooter permit period will be 2 years.
PARKING BAN POINTS IDENTIFIED
Parking bans have been imposed on e-scooters for some spots. Among these points; Presidency buildings, military areas, security units, customs buildings, consulates, fire stations, health institutions, palaces and pavilions, historical walls and gates are located.
FEE TARIFF HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED
The initial fee of the e-scooter sharing system cannot exceed 2 full electronic tickets and the per-minute usage fees cannot exceed 1 full electronic ticket. The opening fee cannot be less than 1/1 of 3 full electronic ticket, and the per minute usage fee cannot be less than 1/1 of 6 full electronic ticket. The Ministry may impose a floor and/or ceiling fee tariff for the shared e-scooter usage fee.
SPEED LIMIT, ADVERTISING PROHIBITED
According to the directive; The top speed of the electric scooter will be 25 km/h. In order to ensure driving safety, the foot part will be made of non-slip rubber or similar durable material. There will be reflective warning areas-stripes on the front and back sides. On every electric scooter; There will be a distinctive code unique to that vehicle, with a minimum height of 3,5 cm on the front, side and rear, consisting of letters and numbers, in black on a white background. The code structure to be obtained by the authorization certificate holders will be determined by the IMM Transportation Department, after the shared e-scooter permit is obtained. There will be no advertising element on the scooters.
AGE LIMIT IS IMPLEMENTED
Other conditions in the directive are as follows:
– Shared electric scooters will not be allowed for those who have not completed the age of 15.
– Authorization certificate holders can only operate within the boundaries of the municipality/region for which they have obtained permission.
– Authorization certificate holders will provide the user with a mobile/web interface where they can see instant fee information with a map service for guidance.
– Authorization certificate holders will be able to purchase e-scooters parked in such a way as to disrupt public order, violate private property and prevent the safe and independent movements, vehicle and pedestrian traffic of pedestrians, the disabled and people with mobility impairments, within 12 hours. will be responsible for collecting
– Authorization certificate holders are obliged to inform the users that traffic rule violations made by those who benefit from services related to e-scooters will be processed within the scope of Law No. 2918, Regulation, Misdemeanors Law and relevant legislation.
ROUTES FOR NORTH MARMARA HIGHWAY ARE DETERMINED
One of the issues discussed at UKOME was the determination of the route of heavy tonnage vehicles that will use the Northern Marmara Motorway. According to the unanimous decision, heavy tonnage cargo vehicles that will come from Tekirdağ direction and pass through Istanbul and continue to Kocaeli direction; It will use the Kınalı toll booths and enter the Northern Marmara Highway. In the Kocaeli direction, it will depart from the Mecidiye box office at the earliest. Heavy tonnage vehicles that will come from Kocaeli and transit Istanbul to Tekirdağ will enter the Northern Marmara Highway by using the Mecidiye toll booths at the latest, and will exit from the Kınalı toll booths at the earliest in the Tekirdağ direction. If the starting or ending point of the transportation is within the borders of Istanbul, the vehicles will enter or exit from the nearest toll booths connected to the Northern Marmara Motorway.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR IN CITY
On the other hand, heavy tonnage vehicles that will have to use the inner city of Istanbul will have to submit documents such as route permit, delivery note and customs documents to the inspection teams.
LIFE TIME OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES EXTENDED
Another issue that came to the UKOME agenda was the extension of the usage period of electric vehicles used in public transportation in the Islands until December 31, 2021. This decision was taken unanimously, like all other decisions discussed.
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