The Brussels government is looking for ways to make more electric bikes available following last week’s announced ban on shared electric scooters that will come into effect in 2027. To fill the looming gap in shared mobility, the region is introducing a new fleet of Villo shared bikes in 2028. It is also looking into whether existing private operators can deploy additional shared bikes sooner, but some – such as provider Bolt – are still hoping the ban will be overturned. “We haven’t given up
hope yet and hope we can still get the decision reversed,” said Alexis Hiernaux of Bolt Benelux. The ban has received a mixed reception among Brussels residents. Some see scooters as a public nuisance and danger for cyclists and pedestrians, while others worry that the biggest issues are with private scooters, and banning shared ones will not help. Jeffrey Matthijs, director of Way To Go, the network organisation for shared mobility, sees few benefits in the ban on shared scooters. “Since the ban on private
scooters in London, road safety has actually improved,” Matthijs said. “I call on the Brussels government to engage in consultation with providers and users. Shared scooters are now well established and form an important link in a sustainable mobility mix.” But others, like mobility expert Kris Peeters, support the removal of shared scooters. “The scooter is simply not suitable for the busy urban traffic in a city like Brussels,” Peeters told Bruzz. “They go far too fast, but above all they have small wheels, making
them highly sensitive to any unevenness such as tram tracks, and falls are very common.” Peeters pointed out that users on a scooter fall differently from cyclists and are therefore often more vulnerable in an accident, which is why there is broad consensus among safety experts regarding the introduction of a compulsory helmet rule. But Peeters said road safety is not the only reason a shared scooter ban is logical, and that it was also about public order and the use of scooters during riots
and in connection with criminal acts. “The combination of safety concerns and recent incidents in public spaces has meant that a consensus on a ban could be reached more quickly within the Brussels government,” Peeters said, adding that other modes of transport should be similarly scrutinised. “I think we also need to have a debate about SUVs and other cars in a city like Brussels. Are they really suitable for use everywhere, or do we need to go a step further there too? “We still
think that we have a vehicle and the city has to adapt to it. It could be revolutionary to turn that around and say that we should primarily adapt our means of transport to the city.” Peeters points to other European cities that have banned shared scooters, such as Paris. “In Paris, the streetscape has become a lot tidier, but above all less dangerous for pedestrians thanks to the removal of shared scooters,” he said, noting that the visually impaired and other vulnerable road users
in particular are often inconvenienced by incorrectly parked or abandoned shared scooters. While private scooters will still be allowed for the time being, Brussels’ mobility minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) noted that federal mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) has the same concerns as the capital regarding safety issues. Crucke has already announced a compulsory helmet rule and more measures could be forthcoming.
Brussels, electric scooters ban 2027, shared bikes Villo, Villo fleet 2028, Bolt Benelux, Alexis Hiernaux, Way To Go, Jeffrey Matthijs, Kris Peeters, Elke Van den Brandt, Jean-Luc Crucke, compulsory helmet rule, Paris scooter ban