Como mayor bans bicycles in city centre after being hit by one.
Mayor Alessandro Rapinese announced that, following a collision with an electric bike later last month, those streets would have to dismount through a 30‑street area from September, as a move to improve public safety.
In Ansa, Rapinese said, “People act based on their own experiences and I know what it’s like to be hit by one of these beasts.” The ban covers both e‑bikes and conventional bikes, because the Italian highway code treats them the same.
The new rule is part of a broader package of traffic reforms for Como’s Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL), aiming to manage tourist flows and enforce stricter controls on cars and vans in the historic centre. Deliveries between 06:00 and 23:00 are now restricted unless the delivering vehicle is in a permitted carriageway. Tourists in hotels can enter the centre only with on‑site parking.
The decision has sparked local backlash. Civitas Como, an active citizens group, filed a challenge to the ban’s legitimacy, calling it “questionable and erroneous”. The Nova Como association plans a protest bike ride on 12 September to raise awareness.
Como is not alone; throughout Italy, cities like Palermo have already limited bicycle access on busy streets since 2023. Paris recently tightened norms for e‑scooter use, this year banning rental scooters altogether.
Local transportation officials contend that the restrictions will reduce accidents and traffic conflicts in the narrow streets of Como. Meanwhile, bike groups argue that city residents and tourists rely on bicycles for commuting and leisure, warning that the ban could reduce mobility and increase car congestion.
