Abu Dhabi bans e-scooters with seats, only one rider allowed per bike

Electric scooters with seats have been prohibited in the capital, said the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DoT) in Abu Dhabi.

The decision comes as part of the bike and e-scooter awareness campaign launched by the ITC in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Police. The local authorities have issued regulations on authorised bicycles and electric bikes, and scooters.

The ITC stipulates that the authorised bicycles are two-wheeled or more, should not be equipped with an automated engine, and are propelled by the force of their rider.

The authority noted that the e-scooter should not consist of a seat, and only one rider is allowed per bike or e-scooter at a time.

ITC also clarified that in the case of an electric scooter, it has to have two or more wheels, and it must be equipped with an electric motor propelled by its electric engine or by the force of its rider.

E-scooter should also be driven upright and should not consist of a seat. The number of users of the bicycle or e-scooter is limited to one person at a time.

Where to ride and avoid

Riders must not drive bikes and e-scooters on public roads, highways, pedestrian lanes and sidewalks unless permitted by the ITC.

Bikes and e-scooters can be driven on permitted and dedicated lanes and on internal roads where the speed limit doesn’t exceed 40km/h.

Riders can also use closed areas like public parks which has bike pathways and sidewalks with large areas for bicycle and e-scooter users as stipulated by the ITC while considering pedestrians on the way.

Bicycle and e-scooter riders have been urged to follow safety instructions, signs, and traffic signals to give priority to pedestrians. They should wear a protective helmet and a reflective jacket at night and equip the bicycle/e-scooter with a white headlight and a red night light or a red reflector. Also, they must park bikes/e-scooters in designated spots rather than parking them randomly or placing them on traffic signposts and light poles.