Almaty residents have called the reduction of scooter speeds absurd and demanded its revision. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
A petition against speed limits for kick-scooters in Almaty has appeared on the epetition.kz platform. It is addressed to the city akimat and calls the new speed limits absurd. The author, Manarbek A., demands an increase in speed on bike lanes to 25 km/h, on sidewalks to 15-20 km/h, and making the 10 km/h limits point-based, only near kindergartens, hospitals, and schools.
Recall that since July 6, rental scooters in Almaty move at 15 km/h on bike lanes, 10 km/h on most sidewalks, and near schools, hospitals, and kindergartens their speed is reduced to 6 km/h.
The petition notes that this decision "effectively destroys micromobility transport in Almaty, contradicts global practices, ignores the unique natural terrain of our city, and acts against citizens who use kick-scooters daily." In particular, uphill, a speed of 10 km/h is insufficient, and the scooter begins to tilt sideways.
The author also reminded of the need to expand the network of bike lanes, as eco-friendly transport is most relevant in a heavily polluted city. "Recently, the reconstruction of Pushkin and Zheltoksan streets was completed, where there are wide sidewalks, but none of them have bike lanes," said Manarbek.
The petition has already collected the maximum number of signatures and is under moderation. The authorities must respond within 20 working days.