The operators of shared e-scooters and e-bikes in Brussels received an official letter from Brussels Mobility urging them to cease operations "as soon as possible" – despite a court ruling giving them until 1 September.
Last Wednesday, the Council of State declared the licences for shared e-scooter and e-bike operators Voi, Dott and Bolt null and void. Now, they have received an official letter from the Brussels authorities, which Bruzz was able to see.
The letter states that the companies must cease their services "as soon as possible" and remove their vehicles from the capital's streets, without specifying a precise deadline. Failure to comply with the notice may result in sanctions.
As recently as last week, however, Brussels Mobility announced that the companies would be given until 1 September at the latest.
While the deadline will reportedly remain in place, it seems unlikely that the thousands of bikes and scooters will be removed from the streets within a few days.
Seeking solutions
A meeting is scheduled for mid-August between the relevant regional authorities and the operators concerned, including Lime, which brought the legal proceedings before the Council of State. The aim is to examine the Council of State's ruling together and seek solutions.
"We need to find a solution with the operators," François Descamps, spokesperson for Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen), told The Brussels Times. "If an agreement is reached, we will begin a new transitional phase until the ordinance is finalised."
Until now, there was a deadline of 31 December, as the operators' licences remained valid until the end of the year before expiring in 2027. However, following the Council of State's decision last week, those licences no longer even exist.
"That means that there is no longer a precise deadline by which the ordinance must be finalised," Deschamps said. "When the dust has settled, we can discuss with all partners what everyone wants and what the way forward is."
Voi stressed that maintaining the bike-sharing scheme in the capital must be a priority. Specifically, the company is asking whether it can continue its services until a new tender is issued. Exactly when that will be, remains to be seen.
This article was updated to include a comment by the office of Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen).
