Seocho-gu Allows Parking of Electric Kickboards at Bicycle Racks and Designates No-Parking Zones

First Autonomous District to Allow Electric Scooter Parking at 50 Bicycle Rack Locations, Designates 50 Congested Areas as No Electric Scooter Parking Zones

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seocho-gu (Mayor Eunhee Jo) is the first autonomous district to pilot the allowance of electric scooter parking at 50 bicycle racks and designate 50 congested areas as electric scooter no-parking zones.

With the recent increase in shared electric scooter usage, problems such as disorderly parking on sidewalks and collision risks have arisen, prompting the district to take action to resolve these issues.

The district will pilot allowing electric scooter parking at 50 bicycle racks. The Road Traffic Act was amended in May 2020, permitting electric scooters to use bicycle lanes starting at the end of this year.

Since electric scooters will have a status similar to bicycles, the district judged that parking spaces can be shared. Notices indicating that electric scooter parking is allowed next to existing bicycle racks will be installed. By not creating separate parking zones, space waste can be prevented and it is economically efficient as no additional facilities need to be installed.

Additionally, 50 congested areas will be designated as electric scooter no-parking zones to ensure the convenience and safety of general pedestrians. No-parking zones will be marked on the pavement so that electric scooter users can easily see them. Important sidewalk areas such as the center of sidewalks, crosswalk entrances, fire and disability facilities will be designated as no-parking zones. Areas around subway stations and bus stops, where unauthorized electric scooter parking frequently occurs causing significant pedestrian inconvenience, have been selected.

In a situation where direct enforcement against unauthorized electric scooter parking is difficult, it is expected that autonomous order can be maintained.

Earlier, in February 2020, the district installed and has been operating 50 electric scooter parking zones nationwide for the first time.

Accordingly, combining the existing 50 electric scooter parking zones with the newly allowed 50 bicycle racks for parking, a total of 100 parking zones will be operated within Seocho-gu. Going forward, the district plans to expand electric scooter parking zones and bicycle racks where electric scooter parking is allowed, and appropriately allocate electric scooter no-parking zones to create an environment where personal mobility devices can be used in a more orderly manner.

Seocho-gu Mayor Eunhee Jo stated, “We will establish a desirable personal mobility usage culture by creating an environment that activates electric scooter use while maintaining order.”