They speed along the Diagonale cycle path, the huge avenue that crosses Barcelona: electric scooters are now part of the landscape of the Catalan capital. Today, 4% of trips are made with these electric vehicles. But on this cold, sunny January morning, one in two users does not have a headset. By February 1, 2025, however, it will be mandatory.
Barbara wears one, she goes to work on a scooter: “It’s very good, we all need to be protectedshe believes. We have to look out for each other. But it is true that there are some who far exceed the speed limits. It’s dangerous! And then if everyone respected the traffic lights, that wouldn’t be bad.“
After having, like Paris, banned self-service scooters, Barcelona has decided to tighten the screws against users of these two small wheels. Speed is now limited to 25 km/h, driving on sidewalks is prohibited and lights become mandatory. “Personal mobility vehicles are the new player in recent years, explains Laia Bonnet, the deputy mayor of Barcelona. This actor changed the way we move around our city and urgently needed regulation. We want sidewalks to be reserved for pedestrians. This regulation must bring order.” Another new feature: scooters are prohibited for under 16s. In the event of an infraction, fines range from 100 to 500 euros.
These measures became necessary, concedes Benoît, a Belgian who has lived in Spain for around fifteen years. He also travels on a scooter. “Already, here in Barcelona, people were not too used to bicycles, he says, Afterwards the scooters arrived and it became a bit dangerous for everyone, because it happened like that and it was a bit of a cacophony. So whether it is regulated or legislated, you have to go through that.“
-The proliferation of “personal mobility vehicles” resulted in an increase in accidents in Barcelona. In October 2024, a 45-year-old user died, hit by a bus. Since scooters appeared, Juanita, 78, does not feel safe. safety when walking in town: “My husband always tells me ‘be careful of the scooters!’ It’s horrible, they go so fast. If we get hit, our life ends. Yes, we are afraid.“
By 2026, owners of electric scooters will have to take out insurance. A rule that will be valid throughout Spain.
In Paris, helmets are not compulsory, you can drive from the age of 14 and, as in Barcelona, the speed is limited to 25 km/h and fines go up to 135 euros.
