Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 20
Como Mayor Bans Bikes on 30 City-Center Streets After June E-Bike Collision
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 20

Como Mayor Bans Bikes on 30 City-Center Streets After June E-Bike Collision

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 20

Summary

  • September rules will force cyclists to dismount and walk through about 30 streets in Como’s walled historic center, extending the restriction to both e-bikes and traditional bicycles.
  • Rapinese said the ban was driven by public-safety concerns in tourist-packed streets after he was hit by an e-bike in June outside city hall, just after a meeting on traffic limits.
  • Critics across the political spectrum say the measure punishes all cyclists instead of reckless riders, and warn it will hurt residents, delivery workers and shops relying on bike access.
  • Activists have launched a petition to overturn the rule and plan a mid-September ride-through protest, adding to backlash in a city that already banned rented e-scooters from the center in 2022.

Insights

Did an Italian mayor's personal grudge just destroy the future of eco-friendly transport in Como's historic center?
Can historic tourist cities truly protect pedestrians without sacrificing low-emission mobility options like bicycles?