Prague says stop to scooters! From the beginning of 2026, it will not be possible to rent electric unicycles on the streets of the Czech capital. The city council has adopted a resolution that will effectively make it impossible for operators offering these vehicles to operate. In the new micromobility system, the city has provided parking spaces and contracts exclusively for shared bikes and cars. Companies renting scooters will not be included in this agreement, which means that their equipment will not be allowed to park on city land.
The decision comes in response to numerous complaints from residents about untidiness in public spaces and hazards for pedestrians. Scooters were often left on pavements, blocking crosswalks or tipping over onto the carriageway. Prague authorities argue that pedestrians should have a sense of security and freedom of movement in the city centre. Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Hřib stated that ‘pavements must not resemble an obstacle course’.
Stop scooters! Prague 1 as a forerunner of change
The first restrictions on scooters were introduced by the Praha 1 district, which includes the historic centre of the Czech capital. As early as 2023, the authorities in this part of the city made it compulsory to park scooters only in designated areas, and in 2024 a local referendum was organised in which the majority of residents voted for a complete ban on their use in the centre. As a result, they were banned from some tourist streets near Charles Bridge and Old Town Square. Private scooter owners will not be affected by the new regulations. Residents with their own devices will still be able to use them in accordance with traffic rules. The city authorities have also announced an information campaign to explain the new regulations and to point out alternatives for people riding in the city.
Europe restricts micromobility
Prague is not the first European city to take such a step. In 2023, Paris introduced a total ban on electric scooters after a municipal referendum in which the vast majority of residents supported the removal of these vehicles from the streets. Other metropolises, such as Madrid and Oslo, have introduced limits on the number of vehicles available and strictly defined where they can be parked. Scooter operators have expressed disappointment at the Prague authorities’ decision. Lime, in a statement, pointed out that these vehicles can easily function in urban spaces if the rules for their use are clearly defined. Representatives of the tourism industry, on the other hand, are concerned that the decision could make it more difficult for visitors to the Czech capital to get around the city.
Scooter accidents in Poland
Scooter safety problems also affect Polish cities. Police regularly record accidents involving users of these vehicles. In 2024, there were more than a thousand incidents in Poland in which a dozen people were killed and several hundred injured. The most common cause is excessive speed, driving on pavements or a lack of caution when joining traffic. According to current legislation, electric scooter drivers are allowed to ride on cycle paths at a speed of up to 20 km/h, and if there are no such paths – on the carriageway. Riding on the pavement is only allowed if there is no other possibility and it does not endanger pedestrians. In practice, however, many users disregard these rules, which leads to conflicts with pedestrians and increases the risk of accidents.
Local authorities are trying to respond to these problems by introducing no-parking zones or speed limits in city centres. Warsaw, Krakow and Gdansk are testing solutions to bring order to the micromobility system, but effective enforcement mechanisms are still lacking and casualties are increasing.
Prague says stop to scooters. Who’s next?
The decision of the Prague authorities indicates the right direction in which urban transport systems should develop. Micromobility was supposed to be an alternative to cars and a way to reduce emissions, but the lack of proper regulation has led to chaos and danger for pedestrians and scooter users themselves in many places. The Czech capital has made a firm commitment to safety and order in public spaces. Let us hope that this will be a benchmark for other European cities when shaping their own transport policies.
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