In the spring, bicycles and scooters return to the streets of the capital – traveling around the city on these vehicles is much more convenient and sustainable than by car. Edgaras Stankevičius, a mobility expert at JUDU (SĮ Susisiekimos paslaugos), reminds that Vilnius residents and city guests can always use the services of even several different bicycle and scooter sharing platforms operating in Vilnius.
“When creating a harmoniously moving Vilnius, we have to think in a complex way, so we pay attention not only to improving the transportation infrastructure. One of the main directions of our activity is to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to choose a sustainable and convenient alternative to the car for city trips. We also aim to develop a culture of polite and safe movement in the city”, says JUDU mobility expert E. Stankevičius.
Together with the sharing platforms operating in the capital, even several alternatives can be offered for Vilnius residents to travel from point A to point B, for example, renting a bicycle for a short time or e-mail. scooters, the total number of which will exceed 5 thousand in the city this year.
In Vilnius, sharing service platforms for trips in the city offer almost 4 thousand. email scooters, 200 e. bicycles and 300 ordinary bicycles. From May, the choice of micromobility vehicles will be supplemented by more than 1 thousand. email bicycles.
For safe and comfortable trips by means of micromobility, more than 150 km of high-quality bicycle infrastructure is also currently installed in Vilnius. Last year, 11 km of bicycle paths were newly installed in the capital, and another 12.5 km of bicycle paths are planned to be installed this year.
In order to form a culture of sustainable and safe movement on rented e-bikes. scooters, 2023 Additional traffic and safety measures have been introduced in the Old Town of Vilnius.
In the Old Town and on the bridges there are e-mails for rent. scooter drivers must drive at a speed of no more than 12 km/h. Also, rented scooters must be left only in special parking places located in Old Town, part of Naujamiestis, Užupis and Šnipiškii districts. In Vilnius, Pilies and Savičius streets, for both rented and private e-mails. signs prohibiting traffic apply to scooters and bicycles.
“All restriction measures are primarily aimed at increasing safety so that bicycle and scooter drivers moving next to each other can do so safely and harmoniously. At the same time, the rules are part of the growing culture of sharing vehicles, which is catching up with the scooters that have become very popular in the city,” says JUDU mobility expert E. Stankevičius.
According to a JUDU expert, every road user must know the Road Traffic Rules (KET). E-mails should especially be confused. scooter drivers, who as of January 1 of this year several new rules came into effect.
“The most important thing to remember is that riding an electric scooter is only allowed on cycle paths, pedestrian and cycle paths or cycle lanes, and where there are none, on a suitable curb. It is allowed to drive on the sidewalk or driveway only when there are no road elements already listed. It is also mandatory not to exceed the maximum permitted driving speed, which is 20 km/h, and when driving right past a pedestrian – no higher than 7 km/h,” the expert notes.
It is also worth paying attention to the newly valid age limit. The rules stipulate that electric scooters and other electric micromobility devices can be used by persons from the age of 16, and from the age of 14 only after completing a training course and having a certificate issued by the school. There is no age limit when driving in the courtyard of a residential building, but children under 10 must be supervised by an adult.
