It has been officially decided that the city of Amsterdam is banning scooters from the cycle paths. This plan has been in the making since 2017, but it seems like it’s finally going to be implemented starting 2019.
The problem with scooters on the cycle paths
As Amsterdam continues flooding with tourists, the city’s cycling paths are also getting increasingly busier. This means that the number of accidents is also rising, and causing concern. In order to ensure traffic safety, the municipality has come up with some new regulations. Hence, the decision was made to move scooters form the bicycle paths onto the road.
At the moment, scooters are allowed to travel at a speed up to 25km/h. However, according to research, 80 percent of scooters in Amsterdam travel above that speed limit. This has caused many accidents to happen involving pedestrians and cyclists. That is why the municipality of Amsterdam is banning scooters from the cycle paths.
Amsterdam’s solution to the scooter problem
As of the 1st of January, other Dutch municipalities and road authorities will be able to implement this and ban scooters from the cycling paths. Once the ban is in place, scooters will have to drive on the road instead. This indicative map shows the cycle paths that will likely be affected by the new measures.
Currently, it is not obligatory to wear a helmet when on a scooter. Often, because of this, drivers suffer serious injury from accidents. For this reason, those on a scooter on the road will need to wear a helmet once the ban is implemented.
The pros and cons of banning scooters from the cycle paths
According to traffic alderman, Sharon Dijksma, while the measure will bring a positive change, she believes it is also drastic and complicated. People on scooters may have to take different routes than those they are used to. It will also take some time for them to get used to their place on the road.
On the other hand, RAI Association does not support the decision of moving scooters onto the road. According to their association, it has been scientifically proven that traffic safety does not improve when measures like that are taken. In fact, scooter drivers are put in even bigger danger because of this measure.
What is your opinion on this issue? Are you happy that Amsterdam is banning scooters from the cycle paths? Let us know in the comments below!
Excellent news! They should never have been allowed on the bicycle paths in the first place. Better late than never.
Allowing scooters on the bike lanes has been the dumbest thing ever, I wonder who had this “brilliant” idea.
I had 3 accidents on a bike lane, all of them caused by scooter drivers going too fast/chatting on the phone/looking somewhere else. But they are so busy taking care of their hair that they did not mind to say “I’m sorry”. I wonder how they will deal with the helmet next year.
Finally the government is taking action. But i think they should ban them completely or be more strict in whom they allow to drive them. They are mostly driven by delivery guys, with no education who drive on sidewalks and park anywhere without respect to other residents.
They should only allow bike delivery.
In 2020 some university will research how comes that in 2019 there were 50% less allechtones on the bike lanes.
best news, I live in amsterdam for a 2-year-old, working with bike deliveries since then, the only thing that left me unhappy or worried in this wonderful city was the scooters piloted by irresponsible and sometimes even children without any commotion with the safety of the next one, it is safer to pedal between cars, s8m is true the cars have a lot of respect for cyclists is arrogant scooters, this was for sure the best news for those who average 7 hours of 8 hours a day among these fierce animals riding scooters .
Great news, however, it should be implemented nationwide to ensure safety in every city.
Best thing Amsterdam has thought of, seriously! I’ve almost had two accidents as well because the scooter was going too fast. Should’ve done it earlier, but later’s better than never.
I love this news so much I couldn’t believe it’s really going to happen. Scooters have been the worst element of living in Amsterdam and the constant thread for bikers and pedestrians. As many people mentioned before, they should have never been allowed on the bike roads. Good job! it’s huge step to make Amstredam the best city in the world… for me at least! ?❤️
This problem has nothing to do with tourists increasing. It has everything to do with the fact that scooter drivers disobey the law, drive way too fast, even where they are not allowed, ex. sidewalks, and are generally a nuisance and often dangerous. So, please don’t try to blame this on tourism, blame it on the real problem – young, often male, scooter drivers who don’t give two shits about anyone but themselves.
The ban should not include electric scooters. As they eco friendly and you can drive up to 25km/h. Just like bikes. What with companies such as felyx? What about biro?
Again – electric is the future. Those should be allowed on the bicycle lane. Install speed camers. Do speed checks. That’s the wise best solution.
“They should never have been allowed on the bicycle paths in the first place. Better late than never.”
Spot on!
Those scooters and other combustion motorcycles do poison the air (often a major source, including some seriously carcinogenic substances) and for many people cause sickness, suffering and premature death.
Just one example of scientific research on this: https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4749
That’s not to mention the noise and causing direct injuries to normal bicycle users.
And somehow a lot of people were complacent enough to normalize this.
Given how ridiculously dumb it is using those poisoning motorbikes, they should have never been allowed at all since electric alternatives exist.
Finally! I hope Rotterdam will follow soon! This is ridiculous, I feel every day if I were on the roads in Thailand. Scooters have to be on the roads, this whole Dutch madness is non-sense!
I ride as fast on my bike as probably 80% of the electric scooters I see. I ride as fast as the other 20% SOME of the time (with a tail wind or for short distance). However, getting to this level on a bicycle requires a LOT of experience, hours spent on the wheels, and if you don’t have some coordination you’ll get hurt and quit before you ever get to that speed. A wobbly gizmo that any uncoordinated boob can just take off at 40kph on an MUP with is bad news. Worse, they have instant acceleration and most riders have no respect for or understanding of the fact that cyclists work for theirs, often resulting in very inconsiderate yield behavior. When it costs them a mere 2 seconds of reduce speed to yield to the cyclist, they usually won’t. That’s not technically wrong, but it’s not very cool either.
The authorities have only little interest in scooter control. Most scoots ( bleu plate, 25 KM/HR ) are altered to increase speed to match bromscoots ( small yellow plates )Blue plates are so called snorscoots.
With the introduction of speedpedelecs and other form of transport, driving / rules are more complicated.
One model scooter may appear in Small bleu or Yellow and even motorcycle plate. That is 3 different set of rules. When snorscoots disappear from cyclelanes, why keep this class, since the yellow plate is virtually the same now.
Still wearing helmets on any motorized cycle is a good idea.
problem is tho.. who’s enforcing it? nobody knows whats going on out there, and mopeds still carving up bike lanes. As usual the Dutch Police are nowhere to be seen when anything is actually going on. so many police, so little action from them.
It is dangerous for scooters to move on the road is madness! You will have more accidents then before! Why not just make huge speed limit fee over 25km/h and take it serious there! So the scooter drivers will be forced to drive speed limit or pay the fee thet should be a lot more then 95euro! I would say 300 at start so people start using they’re heads!
Absolute crap…cyclists think they own the road. I stop with my scooter at a pedestrian crossing, and about 10 cyclists pass me, leaving the pedestrians or tourists in total confusion. I ve seen many a tram driving blowing its horn while a cyclists casually crossed right in front of it. To blame all scooter drivers is grossly unfair. Cyclists are scary, and I am used to the traffic here. Watch peak hours what transpires here on the roads.
Hi, is it applicable to other cities in the Netherlands?
e-bike,s e-scooters is the future, and only top speeds should be legalized, and all new e-bikes/scooters should have a speed limit built-in. Don’t force them on the main roads with cars. Many will die. I know, because I used to ride a motorcycle and no one sees you and yet, a motorcycle is so much bigger than those little e-scooters.