The mayor of Como, Alessandro Rapinese, has implemented a ban on cycling in designated areas of the city's historic center following a personal encounter with an electric bicycle. The new regulation, set to take effect in September, requires cyclists to dismount and walk their bikes through approximately 30 streets.
Rapinese stated the ban is a necessary measure to enhance public safety, citing his own experience. "People act based on their own experiences and I know what it's like to be hit by one of these beasts," he told Italian news agency Ansa.
The prohibition extends to both electric and non-electric bicycles, as Italian traffic law does not differentiate between these types. The measure is part of a broader package of traffic regulations aimed at managing tourist influx and imposing stricter controls on cars and vans within the city center, establishing a Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL).
Rapinese detailed the incident in one of his self-produced online videos, RapiNews24. He recounted being struck by an e-bike in July shortly after his administration had discussed traffic restrictions for the city. The cyclist involved in the collision has not been identified. Rapinese explained that the encounter, which did not result in hospitalization, directly informed his decision to enact the ban. "In this case, I didn't even end up in the hospital," Rapinese said. "I was hit by a bike. I gathered information, and that's where the measure came from."
Several other European municipalities, including some in the United Kingdom, have introduced similar restrictions on the usage of e-bikes and other personal mobility devices in specific urban areas. The streets affected by Como's new ban are predominantly wider thoroughfares in the old town that are also frequently used by delivery vehicles.