The new national regulations came into force on 2 January and mean that electric wheels and Segways cannot circulate on pavements or in pedestrian areas. The prohibition had already been in place in Barcelona since 2017 and has now been strengthened with the royal decree approved by the Spanish cabinet, which also broadens the regulations for these types of vehicles.
Where can personal mobility vehicles circulate under the new state regulations?
The national regulations state that personal mobility vehicles must never exceed speeds of 25 km/h, and that they may circulate in the following areas:
- Curbless streets.
- Bike lanes on pavements, at a maximum speed of 10 km/h.
- Bike lanes on road surfaces, at a maximum speed of 25 km/h, with the obligation of reducing speed at pedestrian crossings.
- On roads with 30 km/h speed limits, at a maximum speed of 25 km/h.
- Parks, at a maximum speed of 10 km/h, respecting pedestrian priority.
Where are personal mobility vehicles not allowed to circulate?
- Pavements and pedestrian areas.
- Connecting streets, tunnels, inter-urban streets, motorways or dual carriageways going through the city.
City Police operation
The City Police are stepping up their information operation at different points around the city to make people aware of the new regulations, ensure compliance and reduce incidents involving PMVs.
The corps made 8,492 formal denouncements of PMV users in 2020 for non-compliance with municipal by-laws regulating the circulation of these vehicles, representing 29.7% more than in 2019. At the same time, the local police have been running an operation since December to fine unlicensed shared PMVs operating in the city and get them off public roads.