INCHEON — A recent survey revealed that an overwhelming 97.5% of Incheon citizens are in favor of expanding the city's "Scooter-Free Zones," where personal mobility (PM) devices like electric scooters are restricted.

According to the Incheon Metropolitan City government on October 7, the city has been operating a pilot project since April across three designated "Scooter-Free Zones": two sections in the academy and commercial district of Songdo International City, Yeonsu-gu (totaling 1,844 meters), and one section in the "Theme Street" of Bupyeong-gu (700 meters).

Scooter-Free Zones are established to protect pedestrians by restricting the operation of personal mobility devices. In these pilot zones, e-scooter travel is restricted daily from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM.

To gauge public perception of the pilot project, the city commissioned a professional research agency to conduct an online survey from September 1 to 18. The survey targeted 200 citizens aged 18 to 59 who commute through these designated areas.

The results showed that citizens directly experienced positive changes regarding pedestrian safety following the implementation of the zones. Key improvements cited included overall enhancement of the pedestrian environment (48.0%), a decrease in PM traffic volume (47.5%), reduced risk of collisions (43.0%), and decreased anxiety while walking (42.0%).

Furthermore, 88.0% of respondents gave a positive evaluation of the policy's necessity. About 74.0% responded that the zones help secure pedestrian safety and establish traffic order.

Evaluations of the operational methods were also favorable. A total of 71.5% agreed that the current locations of the traffic ban zones are appropriate, while 66.5% considered the operating hours and methods to be proper.

Notably, an overwhelming 97.5% of respondents expressed support for expanding Scooter-Free Zones in the future. Regarding areas that should be prioritized for expansion, school zones ranked first at 46.7%, followed by residential areas at 31.8% and commercial areas at 17.9%.

Based on these survey results, the city plans to supplement its publicity and on-site guidance systems so that citizens can easily recognize the traffic restriction zones.

Additionally, reflecting public opinion and on-site conditions, Incheon City intends to gradually expand the Scooter-Free Zones through consultations with relevant organizations and traffic safety facility reviews.

"Through this survey, we confirmed the pedestrian safety improvement effects of operating Scooter-Free Zones and the high consensus among citizens for their expansion," said Park Sung-soon, Director General of the city's Transportation Policy Bureau. "We will continue to actively reflect field conditions and citizen opinions to create a safe walking environment where pedestrians can walk with peace of mind."

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]