The Urban Guard of L'Hospitalet has seized 502 electric scooters by the end of August 2026, surpassing the total number confiscated in all of 2025. This marks a 47.6% increase compared to the 340 scooters taken off the streets last year, according to the city council.

The figure was confirmed after four scooters were removed on Friday, 28 August, during the joint police operation Kanpai-Bastió, carried out with the Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia’s regional police. The crackdown forms part of a broader effort to enhance public safety and regulate personal mobility vehicles (PMVs).

Crime Prevention and Road Safety Focus

Authorities say the controls serve a dual purpose: preventing crime and improving road safety. Electric scooters are frequently used in thefts and quick getaways, particularly in 'snatch-and-run' robberies. The Urban Guard has stressed that many of the seized vehicles were being used illegally or posed risks due to non-compliance with regulations.

The increase in seizures coincides with intensified police operations and specific controls on personal mobility vehicles across the city.

In addition to Kanpai-Bastió, the ongoing Nimbus operation specifically targets e-scooter misuse. It focuses on detecting altered or non-compliant vehicles and enforcing proper use in public spaces.

New National Rules to Take Effect 1 October 2026

Starting 1 October 2026, a nationwide reform of the General Traffic Regulations will standardise rules for e-scooters across Spain, ending the patchwork of local ordinances. The changes were approved by the Council of Ministers and issued by the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT).

  • Minimum riding age set at 15 years
  • Mandatory use of approved helmets
  • Hand signals required for manoeuvres
  • Strict prohibition on riding on sidewalks
  • Night-time riders must wear or carry reflective gear visible from 150 metres

Daytime lighting on scooters will not be required until 1 October 2027. The new framework aims to improve safety for vulnerable road users and harmonise enforcement across municipalities.

Confiscated scooters in L'Hospitalet are taken to the municipal depot. Owners can reclaim them by regularising their status under current rules. Vehicles not claimed or regularised will be destroyed.

Reported by lhdigital.cat, n332.es, democrata.es, El Periódico, lavanguardia.com, theonlyguide.co, LHDigital (L'Hospitalet).