The plenary session of the City Council of Córdoba will authorize the new one this week, almost with absolute certainty General Mobility Ordinance of the city after the talks undertaken by the municipal groups that guarantee a high degree of compatibility in the modification process. Deputy Mayor of Security, Miguel Ángel Torrico, explained on Monday that the proposals presented by all groups pose no problem for the approval of a text that has a date of entry into force: January 1, 2023.
The point is that all parts of the draft legislation will not come into effect at the same time. And some are not minor. An example of this is the mandatory third party insurance that each of the users of the electric scooters, extremely popular means of transport, especially among young people. The draft ordinance that was presented in the plenary did not contain this provision which intends to be implemented by the popular group as an amendment to the text.
Torrico explained that the idea is that the ordinance does not go into effect all at once and, in this specific case, there is a period of adaptation (temporary, in normative language), in which the Local police Anyone who does not have a valid contract with an insurer that guarantees assistance in the event of damage to third parties in the event of an accident cannot be demanded or, if necessary, sanctioned.
The proposal under consideration in the negotiations is to give a period of six months so that municipal agents can request the insurer’s receipt for people traveling with an electric vehicle of this type. It would therefore enter into force on 1 July, once the municipal elections are over.
One of the keys to the text for those who use the bike and the scooter is which roads can circulate or not. A proposal from Podemos, which will be accepted without problems after the talks, is that “preferably” always ride the bike path when it exists. That is, if they use the road they will have no problem. Sidewalks will always be kept as a no-go zone.
The problem lies in the pedestrian zone what interests the center of Córdoba is in which streets the bicycle, the scooter and the pedestrian will be compatible and in which not. This is a relevant issue because in the incompatible cases the Local Police will have to fine the people who are mounted on this type of vehicle.
The ordinance does not establish a catalog of streets where you can or cannot pass. The approach is that the municipal administration approves an annex that will be part of the ordinance. The municipal government will have to approve it and the intention is for it to be implemented for its entry into force on January 1, 2023.
At this time, there is an internal instruction from the Police Headquarters with the criteria to be used for the fines for electric cyclists and scooters. Basically he says they can use the tracks from the Center reserved for pedestrians when they have few people. If there is a lot, and they don’t have the ability to avoid an accident, they have to get out and push. The investigation took place after the reports of the fines that the Local Police were inflicting.
The municipal government hopes that the project will come into effect not only with an agreement between the parties but also with the social consensus. It should be borne in mind that aspects such as taxi stops or the new system of upload and download which is crucial for companies.
