On an average day in Oulu, there are about 7000 mopeds buzzing about the city’s streets, and there are nearly as many skirting about the surrounding municipalities. The number of mopeds has grown dizzyingly in the last ten years, but last year, however, the growth trend came to a screeching halt.
Last year, just over 200 new mopeds were registered in Oulu, compared to a corresponding average of 500–800 from 2006 to 2010.
According to Statistics Finland, registrations country-wide dropped 4.4% last year.
The percentage in Northern Ostrobothnia was 11.6, and in Oulu it was even greater.
The reason for the decline is thought to be a recent law on moped licenses which came into effect a year ago. According to the new legislation, prospective moped owners must first take a safety course at a driving school. This has inflated the cost of the moped license from under a hundred euros to anywhere up to 600. Getting a license also requires more effort under the new law.
