Brussels is banning public e-scooters from its streets following a spike in accidents and reports of their exploitation by organized crime. On the Global News Podcast, host Richard Hamilton reported that "public e-scooters are set to be banned in the capital Brussels following a sharp rise in accidents." The city plans to phase them out by allowing the operating licenses of Bolt and Dott to expire at the end of the year.
This aggressive regulatory shift aligns the Belgian capital with several other European hubs that have grown tired of micro-mobility chaos. As Richard Hamilton pointed out, the ban "comes after several other major European cities, including Paris, Madrid, and Prague, have done the same." The policy marks a definitive end to the hands-off era of dockless rentals, prioritizing pedestrian safety and public order over tech-disruptor convenience.
Looking ahead, the city is still trying to position itself as a hub of environmental progress, recently hosting the Climate Chance Europe 2026 Summit. However, Brussels will have to navigate its green transition without the help of e-scooters as officials scramble to clean up the streets.