Como Mayor Bans City Centre Bikes After Being Hit By One

Como Mayor Alessandro Rapinese has banned bicycle riding across approximately 30 streets in the historic Italian city center starting this September, following an incident in July where he was struck by an electric bike outside city hall.

Traffic Regulations and the E-Bike Ban in Como

The restriction applies to both electric bicycles and standard push bikes because the Italian highway code does not draw a legal distinction between the models, as reported by the BBC. Cyclists traversing the affected area will be required to dismount and push their bicycles on foot. Many of the impacted thoroughfares include some of the widest roads in the old town, which also experience heavy use by delivery drivers.

Mayor Rapinese detailed the decision in an online video series titled RapiNews24, produced by himself. According to the BBC, the mayor explained that he gathered information following the collision in July—which occurred shortly after his administration discussed downtown traffic restrictions—and subsequently formulated the safety measure. The cyclist involved in the collision has not been identified publicly, and Rapinese noted that he did not require hospitalization from the impact.

European Context and Next Steps

The move in Como aligns with similar actions taken by other local authorities across Europe and the United Kingdom to restrict the operation of single-person vehicles and e-bikes, as detailed by the BBC. The bicycle restrictions sit alongside stricter municipal controls targeting cars and vans within the city center’s new Limited Traffic Zone framework.

The city’s new traffic rules and the mandated cycling dismount zones across the historic center are scheduled to take full effect in September.