Sevilla’s city council has begun the process of tightening its local rules on electric scooters following the first fatal accident on a cycle lane involving one of these vehicles.
The incident occurred on October 20 in the Amate district, on Calle Federico Mayo Gayarre, when a 49-year-old Senegalese man riding an e-scooter collided with another scooter carrying two minors – a practice that is expressly prohibited.
The crash happened at around 8.50pm and the victim later died from his injuries.
The council says the tragedy highlights several issues, including the likelihood that speed limits were being exceeded.
Under Sevilla’s current rules, scooters using cycle lanes must not exceed 15km/h. In reality, few riders stick to this limit, as most scooters are built to reach 25km/h and can go faster if modified.
The accident has also reignited concerns that Sevilla’s mobility by-laws have not been updated since 2019, despite major changes in national regulations on personal mobility vehicles (VMPs).
Shortly after the fatal crash, the city’s mobility department launched a public consultation aimed at overhauling Sevilla’s circulation ordinance.
As part of this process, officials are gathering input from recognised organisations representing scooter users, including local association Ampes.
In its explanation for the proposed reform, the council notes that the rapid rise of scooters in the city, along with an increase in accidents, makes it necessary to harmonise local rules with national law and strengthen safety measures.
According to figures from Spain’s Public Prosecutor for Road Safety, there were 499 scooter-related incidents in Sevilla in 2024.
The review aims to tackle four main areas:
- Bringing Sevilla’s by-laws into line with national definitions, categories and technical standards for VMPs.
- Updating rules for how scooters should circulate on city streets and cycle lanes, including better integration with other transport modes.
- Deciding what safety equipment should be mandatory.
- Clarifying prohibitions, such as riding with passengers.
The revised ordinance is expected to address whether helmets should become compulsory (currently they are not), as well as detailing sanctions, enforcement procedures, and rules on immobilisation and removal of vehicles.
Ampes calls for stronger enforcement
Ampes, the main users’ association in Sevilla, has expressed its sadness over the fatal crash and says the accident underlines the urgent need for better enforcement.
A spokesperson, Eduardo García, says the association believes there is ‘a total lack of control, supervision and information’ from the authorities. He argues that checks on minimum riding age and the one-person-per-vehicle rule are ‘minimal, if not non-existent’.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
