site.btaBucharest to Disable Rental E-Scooters in Parks, at Major Public Events

Rental electric scooters will be disabled in Bucharest parks and during major street events following talks between the Bucharest Municipality, shared-mobility operators and local police, the Municipality said in a Facebook post on Friday.

Operators will use GPS-based controls to reduce the scooters' maximum speed from 5 km/h to 0 km/h in restricted zones, preventing users from riding rented scooters in parks or areas subject to restrictions during public events.

Bolt, Lime and Splash have formally backed the municipality's request. Some operators had already introduced the software restriction in major green spaces including King Michael I, Cismigiu, Tineretului and Carol parks.

The city administration noted that riding any electric scooter in Bucharest parks remains illegal and punishable by fines. The measure comes amid proposals for broader restrictions in the Romanian capital, including limiting rental services to adults and requiring scooters to be ridden only on designated cycle lanes or roads with a speed limit of up to 50 km/h.

Romanian mayors called for legislative changes governing electric scooters last summer following a series of accidents. In September 2025, the northeastern city of Piatra Neamt banned electric scooter rentals after a 15-year-old died in an accident.

Under current Romanian law, e-scooter riders must be at least 16, may not carry passengers or ride on pavements, and are required to wear a helmet. Fines range from RON 1,000 to RON 2,500 (EUR 190 to EUR 476), depending on the offence.