The municipal councilors from the GERB-Ruse group propose an addition to Ordinance No. 18 on public order when using vehicles on the territory of the Ruse Municipality. This was one of the topics of today’s press conference, led by the chairman of the group, Alise Murtezova.
In the proposal submitted by Dr. Rositsa Krasteva, Svetlozar Simeonov and Stoyan Hristov, it is stated that the addition of Art. 13 of the Ordinance with a new paragraph 6 would improve the safety of road users in the city’s pedestrian areas, where electric vehicles are currently moving freely. The councilors suggest adding the following content to the Ordinance: “Movement with an individual electric vehicle in parks, gardens, squares, playgrounds, areas intended only for pedestrians, as well as within intersections with crossings of pedestrian zones, is prohibited. The restriction does not apply to pedestrians when driving by pushing an individual electric vehicle.’
The reason for the proposed addition to Ordinance No. 18 is the recent increase in unpleasant incidents with scooters on the road, including in Ruse. Footage has emerged on social media of people on electric scooters driving at unreasonably high speeds between cars and in pedestrian areas between pedestrians, including adults and mothers with small children, apparently flouting traffic rules. For one week in the city of Ruse, the media reported on several serious incidents with casualties, and fortunately, so far there has been no fatal outcome, but should we wait for this to happen in order to take the appropriate safety measures, they ask the municipal councilors. Electric scooters should not have exclusive rights of way and the rules for them should be the same everywhere.
In the large European cities and capitals, the so-called electric scooters are largely equated to bicycles, they cannot move on the pavement network (for example in London, Vienna, Paris, Copenhagen), in some cities their speed is limited to 25 km/h, they take etc. measures.
Provisions regulating the movement of electric scooters have been added to the texts of the Road Traffic Act, the reasons being that the current legislation in this area does not contain provisions to ensure the safe movement of persons with individual electric vehicles (electric scooters). and the lack of clear rules for their use.
According to Art. 80a, para. 4 of the ZDvP, by ordinance of the municipal council, lower maximum permissible speeds than those specified in Art. 80a, para. 2, item 4, as well as the procedure for determining the mandatory parking areas for individual electric vehicles, including the maximum permissible number, as well as the terms and conditions for their provision and use. It is proposed to use the possibilities of this article of the Law with the proposal of the advisors from GERB to supplement and amend Ordinance No. 18.
Municipal Councilor Svetlozar Simeonov submits a question about the working hours of health workers in educational institutions where children are on a two-shift training regime. The reason is an order of the mayor, which sets the working hours of medical personnel until 6:30 p.m. This leaves the time until the end of the learning process at 7:30 pm without medical attention. Simeonov pointed to at least three recent cases that occurred at the end of the day when there was no health worker in the schools to provide emergency first aid. In this regard, the municipal councilor requests information on the number of schools on the territory of the Ruse Municipality that are on a two-shift regime, as well as at what time classes begin and end in these schools.
From the beginning of the functioning of this municipal council to this moment, the councilors from GERB submitted a total of 8 questions and 3 proposals, which were taken into account by the mayor’s administration.
At the press conference held today, the dates for the open receptions of the municipal councilors from PP GERB-Ruse for the months of May and June were also announced. The meetings with citizens will be held on May 16 and June 13 from 2 to 7 p.m. in the office on Chiprovtsi Street. Alise Murtezova pointed out that since the municipal councilors from GERB are public, easily recognizable and accessible to citizens, they are in constant contact with the people who directly raise their pains and problems. The open receptions are an additional opportunity for people who are unable to contact one of the counselors to do so during these meetings.
Tags: Limiting move scooters pedestrian zones Ruse proposed municipal councilors GERB
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