In 2026, European metropolises stopped pretending they love electric scooters. What just a few years ago was praised as a revolution in urban mobility is now seen as a source of chaos, danger and endless complaints from residents. More and more cities are introducing drastic parking restrictions, and some, such as Prague, Paris and Madrid, have decided to completely phase out shared scooter rentals. Others, such as Helsinki and Frankfurt, are moving towards stricter regulations and designated mandatory parking zones.
The problem is not local, as it is a pan-European phenomenon showing that local governments are ceasing to treat scooters as a symbol of modernity and are beginning to see them as a challenge to public order. The number of accidents is rising, pavements are being blocked, and tourists ride through historic streets as if they were racetracks, forcing city authorities to take increasingly decisive action. Cities are responding to these problems in various ways: some introduce bans, others implement precise regulations, and still others try to negotiate with operators.
One thing is certain: the era of scooters without rules is coming to an end, and the future of micromobility in Europe will require clear rules, effective enforcement and cooperation between all stakeholders. According to data from the Polish National Police Headquarters, in 2025 there were 1,158 accidents involving electric scooters in Poland, resulting in 11 deaths and 778 injuries. These are figures that leave no doubt as to the scale of the problem and force authorities to seek effective solutions that balance the benefits of this mode of transport with pedestrian safety and order in public spaces.
Prague goes to war with scooters
Prague, one of Europe’s most visited cities, has made a decision that could set a precedent for other capitals in the region. From January 2026, shared electric scooters will practically disappear from the city, as the City Council has blocked the possibility of parking them in all districts, making their legal operation throughout the metropolis impossible.
The authorities justify the decision by citing long-standing complaints from residents and district authorities. The most common problems include scooters abandoned on pavements and at building entrances, obstructing pedestrian traffic, including for the elderly and disabled, and dangerous riding on pavements, especially by tourists who often do not know local traffic rules and regulations.
The new regulatory system, which will come into force in January 2026, provides for parking agreements in designated city locations with providers of shared cars and bicycles. However, Prague does not plan to sign such agreements with scooter rental companies, which in practice means that shared electric scooters will become unavailable, and if they do appear, they can be removed for unauthorised parking. The new rules will not apply to private scooter owners, meaning that residents who decide to purchase their own vehicle will still be able to use it, but will have to comply with general traffic and parking rules in force in the city.
The decision of the Prague authorities has met with criticism from operators. Václav Petr, Country Director for Lime, one of the largest service providers in the city, expressed regret over the introduction of the ban and told the Czech News Agency CTK that electric scooters can function effectively if there is constructive dialogue between the operator and city authorities, allowing for solutions satisfactory to both sides.
Despite the criticism, the Prague authorities do not intend to change their decision, arguing that it is driven by concern for the safety of residents and order in urban space. This means that operators will have to accept the new conditions or withdraw from the Prague market. Deputy Mayor of Prague Zdeněk Hřib, who authored the proposal, stressed that the new rules are meant to bring order to public space.
He wrote on platform X that we are introducing clear rules that will allow us to cleanse public space of uncontrolled scooter traffic, which was often used in the city centre more as a tourist attraction than a means of transport and caused chaos in pedestrian zones, explaining the motives behind the decision. The decision on scooters stemmed from residents’ complaints about dangerous situations involving people moving on pavements and creating hazards, showing that Prague authorities prioritise the safety and comfort of permanent residents over the convenience of tourists using rental services.
Prague joins a growing number of European cities limiting or completely banning shared electric scooters. The precursor to these changes was the Prague 1 district, which covers the strict historic centre of the Czech capital. In 2023, it introduced a parking ban for these vehicles outside clearly marked stands, which was the first sign of impending changes.
In early October 2025, alongside elections to the Chamber of Deputies, Prague 1 held a referendum in which the majority of residents supported actions aimed at restricting or completely banning the use of electric scooters in the city centre, giving authorities a mandate to take decisive steps in this matter. Prague’s experience shows that effectively limiting scooters requires not only a political decision but also social support and consistent enforcement of new regulations, because without these elements, even the best-designed rules may prove ineffective.
European pioneers in the fight against scooters
Prague is not a pioneer, as Paris decided to completely eliminate shared electric scooters as early as 2023 after public consultations in which the majority of residents voted in favour of the ban, which was the result of growing public protests and an increasing number of accidents involving these vehicles. Madrid followed Paris’s lead in 2024, revoking permits for scooter rental companies, meaning that operators had to withdraw their fleets from the Spanish capital, losing access to one of the largest markets in Southern Europe. In both cases, the decisions were driven by safety and public order concerns, as residents were fed up with abandoned vehicles blocking pavements and dangerous riding, especially in crowded city centres where pedestrian space is limited and valuable.
In Paris, the ban applied only to shared scooters, as private vehicles remained legal. This shows that authorities did not want to eliminate the mode of transport itself, but rather the uncontrolled business model based on leaving equipment anywhere, which generated chaos and threatened pedestrian safety. Madrid took a similar path, and its decision met with mixed reactions: supporters highlighted improvements in safety and public order, while opponents pointed to the loss of a convenient transport option for tourists and residents who used scooters as an alternative to public transport.
The experiences of Paris and Madrid show that a complete ban is possible but requires strong social support and determination from authorities, as in both cases decisions were made after years of growing protests and an increasing number of accidents, which forced politicians to take radical steps. Today, both cities are cited as examples of effective, though radical, solutions to the scooter problem, inspiring other European metropolises to take similar action, though not all choose such drastic measures.
Helsinki moves towards control. Mandatory parking zones
Helsinki has chosen a different path. Instead of a complete ban, the Finnish capital is expanding zones where rental scooters must be parked in designated locations, aiming to organise public space without eliminating this mode of transport from the city’s offering.
From spring 2026, mandatory parking zones have covered additional districts such as Taka-Töölö, Kallio, Kalasatama and Pasila, as well as areas around railway stations and metro stations, meaning that the system is gradually being expanded and covers increasingly larger areas of the city. The city began this process several years ago when users would mass-leave vehicles on pavements and in other inappropriate places, forcing authorities to introduce the first regulations, which initially covered only the strict city centre and are now being extended to further districts.
By the end of June 2026, the system was extended to the centres of the Vuosaari, Puotila and Tapanila districts, meaning that mandatory parking zones already cover a significant part of the city and are systematically expanded based on needs analysis and resident reports. Scooter apps are equipped with live maps showing where no-parking zones are located, as users cannot end their rental if they are in a restricted zone unless they reach a designated parking spot, forcing them to park responsibly.
Those who do not park correctly may be charged fees for vehicle removal, which is an effective enforcement measure and discourages leaving scooters in unauthorised places. Helsinki focuses on prevention and education rather than radical bans. The system is gradually being expanded, and authorities monitor its effectiveness, which could serve as a model for cities that do not want to completely give up scooters but want to effectively limit the chaos they generate by introducing clear and enforceable parking rules.
Frankfurt creates no-parking zones. Systematic organisation of space
Frankfurt has also moved towards regulation, but in a more systematic way. The city designates no-parking zones for rental electric scooters, and in 2026, 47 new parking spaces were created in the Höchst and Bornheim districts, increasing the number of available spaces for users. Within a radius of 100 metres from these spaces, scooter parking is prohibited, meaning that users must leave vehicles only in designated locations, aiming to free pavements and restore order in public space. Operators are obliged to ensure, using GPS, that their vehicles are not left in restricted zones, meaning that technology plays a key role in enforcing regulations and enables effective fleet management.
The system is expanded based on reports from residents, local businesses and specialised software that analyses parking data and identifies areas where additional regulations are needed. The aim is to free pavements and restore order in public space. As mobility councillor Wolfgang Siefert said, by creating additional scooter parking spaces, we are freeing up pavements, showing that the city is trying to find a balance between the needs of scooter users and pedestrian comfort.
The number of permanent scooter parking spaces in Frankfurt has increased to 263, showing that the city is systematically investing in the development of micromobility infrastructure, but in a controlled and organised manner. Frankfurt shows that scooters can be managed without a total ban, as the key is to precisely designate zones where they can be left and to enforce prohibitions using technology. This requires cooperation with operators but brings tangible results in the form of organised public space and greater safety for pedestrians.
Polish cities also have a problem
The scooter problem does not bypass Poland. More and more Polish cities are considering banning electric scooters or partially withdrawing them from public space, and authorities in cities such as Warsaw, Krakow and Wrocław are taking action to regulate the electric scooter market. Some local governments are even considering removing scooters from cities, citing safety issues and spatial chaos, meaning that Polish cities may soon follow the example of Prague, Paris or Madrid if effective regulations are not developed. In Warsaw, scooters can only be left at designated bicycle stands and special parking areas, which is the first step towards organising public space, but the scale of the problem is still large and requires further action.
Poznań has introduced about 270 such spaces, meaning that the city is trying to adapt infrastructure to the needs of scooter users, but this is still a drop in the ocean of needs, considering the number of vehicles on the streets. Warsaw also has a partial ban on scooter riding in the Old Town, Łazienki Park and the Krasiński Garden, which is a response to complaints from residents and tourists about dangerous riding in the most crowded and frequented places. Electric scooters have also disappeared from Wrocław’s Market Square and from the centre of Czersk, while Lublin has designated streets where restrictions apply.
This shows that Polish cities are moving towards regulation but are currently avoiding radical bans, trying to negotiate with operators and introduce gradual restrictions. However, the growing number of accidents and resident complaints may accelerate decisions on more decisive steps, as according to data from the Polish National Police Headquarters, in 2025 there were 1,158 accidents involving electric scooters in Poland, resulting in 11 deaths and 778 injuries. These are figures that leave no doubt as to the scale of the problem and force authorities to seek effective solutions.
The future of scooters in Europe
Urban transport experts believe that a complete ban on scooters would be a step backwards for the idea of sustainable mobility, as scooters are one of the most environmentally friendly modes of transport, emitting no exhaust fumes and helping to reduce car traffic in city centres, which is particularly important in the context of the fight against smog and climate change.
Instead of a ban, they propose introducing uniform regulations at the European level and better cooperation with operators, which could prevent a situation where each city introduces its own, often inconsistent regulations, making it difficult for companies operating in multiple markets simultaneously. The European Union is considering central regulation of electric scooters and personal mobility devices, as uniform rules could establish common safety standards, parking rules and operator liability, facilitating the management of this mode of transport at the pan-European level.
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