Scooter ban on Amsterdam bike paths begins Monday
After years of city hall discussions and coy council debates with the national government, Amsterdam's ban against scooters using bike paths goes into effect on Monday. The new traffic rules stipulate that all scooter users, including those riding slower vehicles with blue license plates, will have to wear a helmet and drive on the street.
Scooter users violating the new rules will face a 95 euro fine, plus administration fees.
The law will be enforced on nearly all of the city's bike paths within the A10 ring road. There are some special paths designated for use by certain scooters along main thoroughfares like De Ruijterkade, Wibautstraat, and Stadhouderskade
Traffic enforcement teams will pull over errant scooter drivers to discuss the new rules over the next two months.
New signage was being installed to make the restrictions clear, and also to warm car and truck drivers to take caution for the slower traffic. Blue-plated scooters will still be restricted to a maximum speed of 25 kilometers per hour.
The city also announced that helmets must be stamped as being ECE approved, meaning most bike helmets on the market do not qualify.
City scooter riders with unusual personal circumstances are allowed to apply for a waiver.
Amsterdam has about 35,000 blue plate scooters on the roads, up from 11,000 in 2008.
