Brussels postpones removal of shared scooters and bikes

The removal of shared scooters and bikes from Brussels streets has been postponed following a ruling by the Council of State. While an initial deadline for removal was set for 1 September, a transition phase is now in place until at least the end of this year.

The Council of State annulled all existing licenses after finding procedural irregularities in the licensing process. This follows a 2023 government plan to reduce the number of shared scooters from 20,000 to 8,000 to mitigate public nuisance. Under the previous plan, only Dott and Bolt were permitted to operate scooters, while Voi, Dott, and Bolt were authorized for shared bikes.

Brussels mobility minister Elke Van den Brandt stated that the goal is to ensure bike-sharing schemes continue to serve the mobility system without service interruptions. The region is currently awaiting instructions to develop a new legal framework for shared mobility to prevent future procedural errors. While shared bikes may continue under temporary solutions, shared scooters are slated to be banned from 2027 onwards.