E-scooters in Cologne soon more expensive?

New fee could have consequences

Created: 05/06/2022, 22:22

By: Johanna Werning

Will driving an e-scooter in Cologne become more expensive in the future?

(Iconic image) © Jochen Tack/Imago & Eduard Bopp/Imago

Renting e-scooters in Cologne could soon become expensive.

The reason for this is a new decision by the city.

Cologne – It doesn’t matter whether it’s an animal, lime, bird or dott: there are several e-scooter providers in Cologne.

For little money, Cologne residents should be able to drive the so-called “last mile” with the e-scooters in almost every Veedel.

But soon the offer could be severely restricted and the use could become more expensive, as the Cologne portal 24RHEIN reports.

E-scooters in Cologne: the city wants to raise fees – limited operation

The reason for this are special fees that the city decided at the council meeting on May 5th.

This comes from a submission from the administration.

As in Düsseldorf, the so-called special user fee for e-scooter providers is now to be increased in Cologne.

The goal behind it?

Limit the range of e-scooters in Cologne.

Because so that the scooter companies can set up the individual e-scooters, they have to pay a fee to the city.

But how expensive are the fees?

The providers then have to pay between 85 and 130 euros per year and per vehicle.

The fee depends on the location.

"Three fee zones are identified in the city area for this purpose: inner city, middle zone and outlying districts.

Fees of 10 euros per year and vehicle are planned for 'rental systems for rental bicycles, rental cargo bikes and the like'," explains the city.

In addition, only 500 e-scooters per provider are allowed in the entire city center of Cologne.

A first draft already shows the different zones:

E-scooters in Cologne: special usage fee - that's what's behind it

► On May 5, the Transport Committee voted on the special usage fee for e-scooters.

► Providers then have to pay an annual fee per vehicle depending on the district.

The administrative bill provides between 85 and 130 euros.

► In addition, the network is to be severely restricted.

Only 500 e-scooters are allowed in Cologne city center per provider.

The new e-scooter area in Cologne (IDZRW assembly) © City of Cologne

E-scooters in Cologne: What does the decision mean for users?

But does this also affect the users of the e-scooters?

Basically, there will be fewer e-scooters in downtown Cologne.

And other restrictions are also conceivable.

But will the scooters also become more expensive?

24RHEIN asked Tier: “We see the planned increase in special usage fees as disproportionate and not effective.

Instead of promoting alternative forms of mobility, they are being thwarted by excessive fees," says Patrick Grundmann, Tier's spokesman.

But what do the fees mean for the price?

That's not entirely clear yet.

"The immediate consequences of the change in the special use statute for our offer are not yet foreseeable.

We first have to critically examine fees of this magnitude and could have consequences for our mobility offering in the future, also for the size of the fleet and the business area," Grundmann continues.

However, there are currently no plans to pass the fees on to the users.

A trip should not be more expensive.

Cologne: E-scooters will soon be restricted – when will the decision apply?

On May 5th, the traffic committee voted on the special user fee for e-scooters.

It is not yet clear when implementation will begin.

“The regulations come into force when they are published in the Official Journal.

From this point in time, all providers of sharing systems are obliged to apply for a special use permit.

There will soon be an information event organized by the administration for companies to explain the application process for special use permits," explains the city.

But why is it implemented at all?

Most recently, the colorful e-scooters in Cologne caused trouble again and again: countless e-scooters are lying alone on the bottom of the Cologne Rhine.

Several large-scale operations were necessary to rescue them.

The Cologne politicians also implemented several parking bans for the scooters.