30 Jan, 2023 @ 20:00
1 min read

Why Spain’s Catalunya region is banning electric scooters from public transport

Single robber behind wave of e-scooter thefts in Costa Blanca area of Spain
Cordon Press Image

A TOTAL ban on taking electric scooters onto any kind of public transport in Catalunya will come into force on February 1. 

The prohibition comes after one of the personal mobility vehicles caught fire on a train in the northeastern Spanish regional in November. Five people were left with mild injuries, according to Spanish daily El Pais. 

The ban will be applied to trains, the metro, local and long-distance buses and trams. The prohibition will stay in force for six months while the situation is studied by experts and definitive regulations are decided upon. 

The decision has been taken by the ATM metropolitan transport authority, which cites the chance of the scooters catching fire, the difficulty in extinguishing such a blaze and the highly toxic nature of the smoke emitted. 

Citizens will still be able to transport their electric scooters by taxi, however. 

Anyone caught breaking the new rules from Wednesday will be subject to a €200 fine.

Read more:

Simon Hunter

Simon Hunter has been living in Madrid since the year 2000 and has worked as a journalist and translator practically since he arrived. For 16 years he was at the English Edition of Spanish daily EL PAÍS, editing the site from 2014 to 2022, and is currently one of the Spain reporters at The Times. He is also a voice actor, and can be heard telling passengers to "mind the gap" on Spain's AVLO high-speed trains.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Story

Man in Spain’s Valencia facing jail term, fine for text blaming LGBTQ+ community as origin of monkeypox 

Casa Dani food poisoning
Next Story

Madrid restaurant famed for its Spanish omelettes forced to close doors after salmonella outbreak

Latest from Catalunya

Go toTop

More From The Olive Press