The Paphos municipality and the town’s police are to boost their efforts to rid the town of the illegal use of electric scooters and other electric personal mobility devices, following a meeting of police officials and acting mayor Angelos Onisiforou on Thursday.

As a result of the meeting, local police will place “particular emphasis” on efforts to ensure that unlicenced scooter rental companies do not operate in the town, with the municipality saying that it will “utilise all means provided by law” to support these efforts.

The municipality added that the police “already has the authority to enforce the law and report violations thereof”, with the municipality itself responsible for issuing licences to rental companies.

Additionally, it said that “the circulation of personal mobility devices is only permitted in the areas provided for by law”, with those areas including roads with a maximum speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour, cycle paths, cycle lanes, and public paths “where the appropriate signage indicates so”.

It also stressed that the use of electric scooters in town squares and on pedestrian streets is prohibited, with the exception of mobility scooters used by disabled people.

So far this year, the Paphos police have filed 132 reports regarding scooter rental companies operating illegally.