French cities restrict electric scooters and bicycles in pedestrian zones

Municipalities in France are implementing new restrictions on personal motorized mobility devices to enhance pedestrian safety in city centers.

In Mulhouse, a new decree extends restrictions on electric bicycles, electric scooters, hoverboards, and monowheels. Users are now required to dismount and walk their vehicles through approximately fifty streets and squares in the city center every day of the week between 11:00 and 20:00. The measure, which was a campaign promise by Mayor Frédéric Marquet, aims to ensure pedestrian safety in high-traffic areas.

In Millau, a similar municipal order requires users of personal mobility devices to walk their vehicles in specific streets, including Rue Capelle, Rue Droite, Rue Lauret, Rue Mandarous, and Rue Peyssière. The decision has drawn criticism from local soft-mobility advocacy groups, who argue that such bans may hinder coexistence in public spaces and suggest that awareness campaigns might be more effective than strict prohibitions.