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Russia to ban two people from riding a single e-scooter and prohibit delivery couriers from using sidewalks
Russia’s Transport Ministry has drafted changes to traffic rules that would tighten restrictions on electric scooters, electric bicycles and other personal mobility devices. The proposals would require some riders to hold a licence and would keep certain devices and delivery couriers off pavements.
Scooters and electric bicycles with motors rated from 250 watts to 4 kilowatts would be classed as mechanical vehicles and require a category M licence. The draft would also ban carrying two people on one scooter, bar under-16s from riding in public areas, and introduce paid parking in designated places. It is due to be published for public discussion; mandatory registration, included in a separate government roadmap, is not in this draft.
In short
- Russia has drafted tighter rules for scooters and electric bicycles.
- Some riders would need a category M licence.
- The proposals include courier pavement restrictions and paid parking.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters could argue that licensing, age limits and one-rider rules make crowded streets safer by ensuring riders have basic competence and by limiting risky or unstable journeys. Keeping delivery couriers off pavements and organising paid parking could also protect pedestrians and make public spaces easier to navigate.
The case against
Critics could argue that applying motor-vehicle rules to a wide range of light electric devices risks imposing disproportionate costs and barriers, especially on people who rely on them for affordable transport or work. They may also question whether blanket restrictions and paid parking address unsafe riding effectively, and favour targeted enforcement and better infrastructure instead.
Explained simply
Electric scooters and electric bicycles are part of a wider group of small personal transport devices used for travel and deliveries. In Russia, rules for them are being revised as their use grows, with questions about who can ride them and where they can go.
The Transport Ministry’s draft would treat some motor-powered devices as vehicles, bringing a licence requirement for riders. It also proposes limits on passengers and riders’ ages, designated paid parking, and restrictions on pavements for certain devices and delivery couriers.
The proposals are due to go out for public discussion, so they are not yet final rules. A separate government plan mentions mandatory registration, but that requirement is not part of this draft.