ROTTERDAM, 24 March 2025 – A new campaign and stricter regulations have been introduced in Rotterdam to reduce the nuisance caused by shared scooters and bikes parked improperly across the city.
Rotterdam addresses nuisance from wrongly parked shared vehicles
Shared scooters, bikes and cargo bikes have become a common sight across Rotterdam, offering a more sustainable alternative to short car journeys. However, many residents have voiced concerns about the inconvenience caused by these vehicles when they are left blocking pavements and walkways.
To address this, the municipality has launched a campaign urging users to park more responsibly. This initiative is part of a broader strategy that includes stricter rules for shared transport providers and an expansion of designated parking hubs.
Campaign calls for courteous parking
Alderman Pascal Lansink-Bastemeijer stated, “Shared scooters and bikes are useful for the city, but they must be parked properly. Too often they block the pavement, creating real difficulties for people in wheelchairs, pushing prams or those with mobility issues. With these measures, we are asking everyone to be more considerate.”
The campaign encourages users to:
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Park in designated hubs where possible
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Align scooters or bikes neatly alongside others
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Leave space for people with prams or wheelchairs
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Avoid parking on tactile paving for the visually impaired
Increase in parking hubs across the city
Since their introduction, designated shared mobility hubs have played a key role in reducing clutter. Marked by white street boxes and green teardrop-shaped signs, these hubs offer fixed points for parking.
Currently, there are 140 such hubs across Rotterdam. An additional 40 are planned by the end of the year. These hubs are equipped with geofences—digital boundaries preventing vehicles from being parked outside the approved areas. Locations are selected based on reports of nuisance and data on shared vehicle usage.
Stricter requirements for operators
New permits for shared mobility providers came into effect in February 2025. The municipality has tightened requirements to minimise inconvenience. Operators are now expected to implement reward systems, awareness campaigns and introduce a 'parking score' for users. Repeated offences can lead to penalties or platform bans.
Shared mobility usage statistics
In 2023, approximately 9.7 million kilometres were travelled using shared bikes, cargo bikes and scooters in Rotterdam. On average, each scooter was used twice per day. Although usage is high in central areas, districts such as Prins Alexander, IJsselmonde, Charlois and Hillegersberg-Schiebroek also see significant activity.
The municipality aims to boost usage in outer districts and will reopen permit applications in May. The goal is to expand availability to 3,000 shared bikes and 750 cargo bikes.
For more information, visit: rotterdam.nl/deelvervoer
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