Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport is preparing new regulations that would restrict the parking of rented e-scooters and bicycles on pavements and in pedestrian zones, aiming to address long-standing concerns from city authorities and pedestrian advocates.
According to a draft bill dated June 26, the proposed changes would amend the Ordinance on Small Electric Vehicles and related road traffic regulations. The draft, seen by Tagesspiegel, introduces clear distinctions between private and commercial vehicle parking and categorises rental scooters and bikes as a “special use” of public space that will require municipal authorisation and likely be subject to fees.
The move follows persistent criticism from the pedestrian lobby since the introduction of shared micromobility services roughly six years ago. Although e-scooter operators have introduced measures to encourage more orderly parking — including geofencing and user penalties — conflicts have persisted, particularly in densely populated urban areas.
The ministry’s intent is to align rules for electric scooters with existing regulations for bicycles, while also clarifying that the use of public pedestrian space for commercial rentals does not fall under traditional traffic law definitions of stationary parking. As stated in the draft bill, “commercial hire does not qualify as part of stationary traffic within the meaning of road traffic law.”
In practice, this would mean that providers of shared e-scooters and bikes could no longer allow users to end their trips on sidewalks without formal agreements with local municipalities. The new regulation would instead require operators to collaborate with cities to establish designated parking zones or structured solutions.
The proposed changes mark a potential turning point in Germany’s approach to shared mobility, with the federal government responding to growing calls for clearer boundaries between pedestrian rights and commercial use of public infrastructure.