Prague 1 has officially called for a complete ban on shared electric scooters in parts of the city center, citing growing safety concerns and ongoing misuse of public spaces.

The district council made the request this week, urging the capital to issue a decree that would allow individual districts to define no-go zones for both riding and parking of e-scooters.

The proposed ban would be enforced through a combination of physical signage and geofencing technology, and Prague 1 is demanding joint enforcement by municipal and state police.

“We deal with chaotic scooter parking and illegal riding on sidewalks every single day,” said Vojtěch Ryvola, Prague 1’s transport councilor. “This poses a direct threat to pedestrians. The situation has become unbearable. We are ready to defend public space and the safety of our residents.”

Ryvola compared the e-scooter issue to the city’s 2016 Segway ban, which required a national law change and cost around CZK 4 million to implement, including the installation of more than 600 signs. In his view, scooters represent a similarly disruptive force in Prague’s historic core.

Under current Czech legislation, electric scooters are classified as bicycles, meaning they’re prohibited from sidewalks but allowed on roads. However, Ryvola and other Prague 1 representatives argue that this legal classification is inadequate and that the proposed ban should extend to roadways as well.

Not all city leaders are on board. Deputy Mayor for Transport Zdeněk Hřib criticized the Prague 1 plan as a short-sighted and confusing fix. “This does not address the root of the problem,” Hřib said. He pointed to an alternative solution proposed by the city’s Technical Road Administration (TSK), which involves contractual agreements with scooter operators.

TSK’s plan would regulate where and how shared scooters and bikes can be used, introduce penalties for violations, and charge usage fees for public space occupation. But Prague 1 has rejected this model, arguing it does not give districts enough autonomy to impose a full ban.

Public frustration with shared scooters has been mounting, particularly in central neighborhoods. Complaints include reckless riding, obstructive parking, and lack of revenue from the use of municipal space.

Šnejdarová noted that Prague 1 has been demanding action since early 2023. “Despite repeated appeals, the city has yet to offer a concrete solution,” she said.

Should negotiations with the city collapse, Ryvola said the district may consider holding a local referendum to decide whether to ban e-scooters outright across all of Prague 1.

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Although restaurants pay a lot of money to take over public spaces, for many, the expansion of the business area with front gardens is an essential part of their business.

What bothers them the most is that they are not sure if they will get the necessary permission, even if they fit all the requirements. The 1st Deputy Mayor of Prague 1, Petr Hejma, will promote the change.

According to the Prague 1 Chamber of Commerce, the current position of self-government and state administration is not enough transparent and equal to all entrepreneurs. “There will be a sanction if someone does not follow the rules. However, if they adhere to them, they deserve respect and a stable business environment without surprises and difficult or unexplained decisions”, said the chairman of the Chamber, Vladimír Krištof.

The Deputy Mayor of Prague 1, Petr Hejma, also acknowledged this. “The front gardens must satisfy the aesthetic requirements of the historical centre; they must not disturb and restrict their surroundings or prevent passage and are obliged to follow the opening hours strictly. If they adhere to this along with other regulations, I do not see a significant reason why entrepreneurs who operate their front yards properly and without major problems should not have a license for the next season”, said Hejma.

According to the Chamber of Commerce, the behaviour of officials and politicians so far does not correspond to the enormous financial contribution of the restaurant front gardens to the municipal revenues. “They are a major source of income for both Prague 1 and the capital. In 2018 it was roughly 150 million crowns”, emphasised Vladimír Krištof, giving an example in which, an entrepreneur asks for permission for a similar front yard that was allowed a few hundred meters away, but without an explanation, he will not receive it.

The price for placing the front yard in a public space in Prague is high; for example, compared to Vienna, up to ten times. In Prague, you pay for the occupation of the city district between ten and sixty crowns per square meter per day.

Of course, it depends on the attractiveness of the position. You have to pay a similar amount to the Technical Road Administration in Prague.

Therefore, it is not a surprise if the amount paid per month for one front garden exceeds 100 thousand crowns. Prague is one of the most expensive cities in Europe regarding this aspect.

Moreover, according to Krištof, entrepreneurs are charged with a large amount regarding administration.

The Prague 1 Chamber of Commerce has, therefore, started a request that will allow entrepreneurs to apply for a renewal of their front garden electronically every year. “This application is ready, but its implementation in the authorities has been stalling for months”, Krištof criticised.

The Chamber also promotes for entrepreneurs the right to obtain up-to-date information on closures and other events that restrict their premises, the right to reduce the rent for a period of unconstrained restriction or the right to announce any non-renewal of the lease in advance to avoid unnecessary thwarting investment. According to its 1st Deputy Mayor Hejma, the Prague 1 Town Hall is prepared for such a meeting.

“We as self-government must require business people to fulfill their duties, but on the other hand, it is in the interest of our city district and its residents to support them and create quality service. Also, thanks to revenues from the occupation of public space, Prague 1 has enough resources to finance quality education, social services, grant policy, and other services”, declared Hejma.