Taming e-scooters : Implications of different regulatory models

Sammanfattning

Shared e-scooters' rapid expansion has forced cities to balance user accessibility with public order. This study used GIS analysis to compare two regulatory models in Sweden: Uppsala’s integrated model, which permits parking at bicycle racks, and Malmö’s separated model, which uses purpose-built parking infrastructure. Using Service Area and Kernel Density tools in GIS, the study evaluated access to approved parking in relation to theoretical thresholds for walking distance and parking-zone density. The results show that Malmö’s stricter, separated model nevertheless provides greater coverage of approved parking: 70% of the study area, compared with 31% in Uppsala. Uppsala has a dense concentration of parking infrastructure in the city center and a sparse peripheral network that may limit first- and last-mile connectivity. The findings suggest that strict regulation combined with sufficiently dense infrastructure may create better conditions for sustainable micromobility than a loosely integrated strategy with uneven spatial coverage.