Several tickets were handed out and dozens of warnings issued for improper e-scooter use over the May long weekend in Edmonton.
For the first time since electric scooters arrived in the city in 2019, a dedicated enforcement blitz had peace officers on the lookout for people riding e-scooters in places where it isn’t allowed.
The enforcement included a combination of educating users on the rules and issuing tickets in cases where officers deemed it necessary.
The enforcement, between Friday and Monday, was focused on downtown, Old Strathcona and the river valley, where e-scooter use is highest.
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Over those four days, the city said there were 127 warnings issued and 17 tickets handed out for illegally riding e-scooter on sidewalks, which comes with a $100 fine.
E-scooters can be used on bike lanes, shared pathways, shared streets and on roads where the speed limit is 50 km/h or less.
A second period of escalated enforcement is expected to take place in June, the city said.
This year, there are three companies licensed to operate in the city: Bird Canada, Lime and newcomer Spin Mobility, which is owned by the Ford Motor Company.
The service areas for the scooters encompass the city’s core — downtown, Oliver and parts of Westmount on the north side of the river and in Old Strathcona and the University of Alberta areas to the south.
Scooters must remain within the above-mentioned perimeters. Outside of them, the scooters slow down and the brakes engage.
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