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Experts say expanding the use of micromobility vehicles, such as bicycles and scooters, could provide an effective alternative to Istanbul’s worsening traffic, which increasingly affects residents’ daily lives.
Istanbul’s traffic problem, long a persistent urban challenge, now impacts not only drivers but also pedestrians and commuters. Many residents spend hours each day stuck in traffic due to growing congestion.
Micromobility vehicles are becoming more popular because they save time and navigate crowded streets more efficiently than private cars. Experts explain that expanding these options could help ease traffic delays and improve overall mobility.
Associate professor Selim Dündar, Chair of the Civil Engineering Department at Okan University, described Istanbul’s traffic as “one of the city’s bleeding wounds.” He noted that an average resident loses about 105 hours per year in traffic delays alone.
Referring to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s (IBB) Sustainable Urban Transportation Plan, Dündar said, “In 2020, there were 30.3 million daily trips in Istanbul. This number is expected to rise to 38.1 million by 2040. About 44% of these trips are for work, 20% for school and 64% are routine, unavoidable trips. Any solution to Istanbul’s traffic problem must address this demand efficiently.”
While congestion is partly caused by too many vehicles, Dündar added that driver behavior worsens the situation.
“Many drivers ignore rules, park in no-parking zones, block lanes, or make turns from the wrong lanes, reducing road capacity. Fewer vehicles can move efficiently, which worsens congestion,” he said.
Dündar said 50% of trips in Istanbul are on foot, 23% by public transport, 18% by private cars, 8% by service vehicles and only 1% by micromobility vehicles.
“Excluding walking trips, about 36% of trips are made by private cars, often carrying only one or two passengers. Many passengers who could fit in a bus end up occupying dozens of cars, dominating the roads,” he explained.
He stressed that public transport should be encouraged as an alternative to private cars, emphasizing improvements in service quality rather than restrictions. Expanding micromobility use could also relieve congestion. About 350,000 people in Istanbul use micromobility daily, particularly scooters.
Although exact data on bicycle users is limited, Dündar estimated that 1 million residents rely on micromobility. He noted that European cities use dedicated bike lanes and infrastructure to support these systems.
“Small vehicles like bikes and scooters can replace private cars in many cases. Istanbul is hilly, so commuting long distances entirely by bike is unrealistic. But combining public transport for long distances with the last 1-2 kilometers by micromobility can ease congestion,” he said.
Dedicated lanes or segments of sidewalks for micromobility on main roads could increase usage. Regarding scooter safety, most accidents – over 90% – involve riders falling, causing injuries to the wrists, arms, head, or neck. Dündar called for helmets, wrist guards, knee and elbow pads and reflective vests.
Özgür Şener, a lecturer at Üsküdar University and a traffic safety consultant, said Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara face severe traffic congestion due to high vehicle density and limited road infrastructure.
“Micromobility vehicles are increasingly chosen because they save time. Short trips of less than 3 kilometers are ideal for scooters or bikes. Globally, these are supported and the same trend is emerging in Türkiye,” he said.
According to IBB, Istanbul has 209 kilometers of dedicated bike paths and 89 kilometers of shared-use roads, mostly along coastal areas. Outside these zones, infrastructure forces micromobility users into traffic, creating safety hazards.
Şener stressed that gaps in infrastructure, technical equipment and public awareness increase risks.
“Scooter regulations prohibit users under 16, but most 16-year-olds lack traffic education. In 2024, nearly 7,000 people died and 350,000 were injured in traffic accidents,” he said.
“Drivers often treat scooters and bikes as if they don’t belong on the road, while some users ignore rules. This combination creates significant danger. Infrastructure, regulations and public awareness must improve urgently,” Şener said.
He concluded that micromobility will inevitably become part of urban transport, “If congestion continues, residents will eventually need to use these vehicles because mobility is a basic right. All stakeholders must come together to redesign the system for safety and efficiency.”
