Prague Bans Shared E-Scooters from Its Streets: What You Need to Know!
Since the previous year, Prague City has been actively developing a new system aimed at regulating shared transportation.
The intention behind these new regulations is to tackle issues surrounding bikes and e-bikes within the city, making sure that these vehicles are parked in designated areas specifically set for this purpose.
Notably, e-scooters will be excluded from this system and will not be permitted to park in public spaces anymore.
In cases where operators continue to improperly dispose of bikes, the administration will take action to remove them and will only return the bikes after the fine has been settled. Additionally, these designated parking areas will also be available for use by residents of Prague who wish to park their personal bicycles.
Once the contracts are finalized, operators will have a set duration to remove any e-scooters from the city streets.
“We do not expect widespread breaches of these new regulations, as experiences from other cities with similar systems have generally yielded positive results,” remarked Hřib. However, Hájek pointed out that during the initial year, the administration will manually monitor the system. Starting from the next year, the monitoring process will shift to automation, utilizing GPS data provided by bike operators.
The decision to exclude e-scooters from the new system is a direct response to long-standing complaints from both residents and various city districts, especially those in central Prague.
Critics have raised concerns about scooters being left in obstructive spots and highlight the risks posed by riders navigating on sidewalks. “E-scooters have been involved in nearly double the number of violations compared to bicycles, and they attract almost five times as many fines,” clarified Hájek.
For several years, Prague 1 has been advocating for a ban on shared e-scooters, urging that this action should be included in a municipal ordinance. Hřib indicated that any such resolution would need to apply to all vehicles, including privately owned ones that do not cause any issues.
The city’s choice to pursue a private law procedure aligns with guidance from the ministries of transport, interior, and industry and trade.
