Lifestyle
The Turnaround:
The Court of Appeal has now ruled that Ryde violated the law when the company displayed a large number of electric scooters in Gävle without the necessary permit.
After several green electric scooters suddenly appeared in Gävle, the rental company Ryde was reported to the police, triggering a unique legal process. Prosecutor Christer Sammens became the first to examine whether this type of business model could be considered criminal, and initially sought a corporate fine of 50,000 SEK.
A Ruling That Gives Police Greater Influence
Ryde has now been convicted by the Court of Appeal for violating the Public Order Act and has been ordered to pay a corporate fine of 25,000 SEK. This marks the first time a court has convicted a business model of this kind—offering electric scooters for rent without a permit. According to the now-retired prosecutor, the ruling could serve as a guideline for other municipalities.
– I don't know what practical significance it will have or what the police will think, but now they have the opportunity to act on this, says Christer Sammens.
As an example, Sammens points out that the police could now limit the number of electric scooters on display in public spaces.
Since 2023, only Voi has been granted a permit by Gävle Municipality to offer electric scooter rentals.
