Barcelona introduces strict measures to regulate the circulation of electric scooters, following a surge in their use in recent years. Starting February 1st, those who ride scooters on sidewalks risk hefty fines of up to 500 euros. The decision comes in response to the current chaos in the city. A study conducted by the Automobile Club of Barcelona on 800 users shows that three-quarters of those who use electric scooters ride on sidewalks, a quarter do not respect traffic lights, and 12% ride against traffic.
The new rules bring several important changes. Helmets become mandatory, and those who do not wear them will receive fines of 100 euros. The maximum allowed speed is 25 km/h – exceeding this limit costs 500 euros. It is prohibited for two people to ride on one electric scooter, with this violation being fined 100 euros. Scooters must have front and rear lights. On pedestrian streets, scooters can be ridden, but with an important condition: when there are many pedestrians, users must dismount and walk.
Rules for parking electric scooters include clear guidelines: fines reach 500 euros for those who leave vehicles on sidewalks in front of schools and hospitals. Parking on sidewalks narrower than three meters is penalized with 50 euros. There are three exceptions to these rules: children under 12 accompanied by adults, those under 14, and adults with child seats on bicycles on streets without specially designated lanes can ride on the sidewalk.
Currently, Barcelona has 250 kilometers of bike lanes, but the use of electric scooters has increased four times faster than that of bicycles since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.