Business Desk 
May 06, 2025
An undated image. — Depositphotos
In an unexpected development, electric scooters (e-scooters) are likely to face restrictions in Athens soon, as the city’s mayor calls them a "terrible nuisance" for the public.
Promising to tackle the issue, Athens Mayor Haris Doukas announced plans to introduce regulations for e-scooter rentals. The city has witnessed a sharp rise in traffic violations due to concerns over scooters abandoned in public spaces, resulting in traffic jams.
After meeting with executives from four e-scooter rental companies operating in the city, including Hoppy, Hop, Lime, and RideMovi, Doukas confirmed that Athens aims to introduce stricter rules “immediately”. The mayor did not specify any timeline for the enforcement of regulations.
The new measures will include the creation of 70 designated parking zones for scooters and bans on their use in specific areas. The move comes in view of central Athens, with a population of 640,000 residents, having more than 4,000 operating e-scooters.
Municipal police recorded a sharp uptick in traffic violations from March April, prompting the authorities to act. Doukas, who has already raised the issue publicly, will also hold further talks with all five e-scooter rentals companies.
The city is expected to see improved street safety for both riders and pedestrians.
