The mayor of Como, Alessandro Rapinese, introduces sweeping cycling ban in 30 streets after being hit by an electric bike outside the town hall. His action has sparked protests from cyclists and traders alike.
The mayor of Como, Alessandro Rapinese, has banned bicycles — both traditional and electric — from dozens of streets in the city’s historic centre, after he was knocked to the ground by an electric bike while walking near the town hall. The incident, he says, convinced him the city’s streets needed tighter regulation.
“It was like a missile”
Rapinese was struck on the evening of July 18 in via Luini, in the heart of Como’s old town, as he was leaving the municipal building. Describing the incident on local radio, he said the bike had been travelling straight ahead before braking suddenly, spinning 90 degrees and hitting him full-on, sending him tumbling. He suffered heavy bruising and contusions to the right side of his body but did not go to hospital despite the pain.
Reflecting on the risks posed by electric bikes in the historic centre, Rapinese said that had an 80- or 85-year-old woman been in his place, the impact could have killed her or left her in a wheelchair for six months. He said that while electric scooters are now required to carry insurance, electric bikes are not, despite being capable of causing similar harm while travelling “like torpedoes.”
New rules take effect in September
The ban is being introduced through a new regulation governing Como’s limited traffic zone (ZTL), which also tightens restrictions on cars and vans entering the centre. Under the plan, many vehicle categories will require an annual permit plus a daily €3 authorisation to enter, while deliveries to shops and businesses will only be permitted between 6am and 11am. Tourists staying in hotels, B&Bs or holiday rentals will only be allowed to drive into the historic centre if their accommodation has dedicated parking.
The cycling ban itself covers around 30 streets in the historic core, including via Luini, via Vittorio Emanuele, via Cesare Cantù and piazza San Fedele. The most restricted area, classified as “Apu Rossa,” will bar transit, stopping and parking for all vehicles; bicycles and scooters will only be permitted to pass through if wheeled by hand rather than ridden. The measure is due to come into force in September.
Why not just target e-bikes?
Asked why the ban applies to conventional bicycles as well as electric ones, Rapinese said Italy’s Highway Code treats traditional and electric bikes identically, meaning a rule targeting e-bikes alone would likely be struck down by the regional administrative court (TAR). He pointed to what he called an inconsistency in current regulation, noting that owners of electric scooters are required to insure and register their vehicles, while electric bike owners — despite what he considers comparable risk — face no such obligations.
Rapinese also linked the decision to an earlier policy from 2022, when Como banned electric scooter rental schemes, a move he described as ahead of its time compared with other European cities.
A city divided
The announcement has proved deeply divisive. Critics, including cycling advocacy group Nova Como, have accused the administration of overreach, arguing that a single incident involving the mayor should not become grounds for restricting mobility for the entire city. Nova Como has called a protest bike ride against the ban for September 12, timed to coincide with the new rules coming into force.
Local traders have also voiced concern over the potential impact on business, while some opposition politicians have characterised the measure as a form of personal retaliation following the mayor’s accident.
Rapinese has openly acknowledged the role the incident played in his decision, saying people act on the basis of their own experiences, and that he now knows firsthand what it means to be hit by one of these vehicles. He has defended pedestrian-only streets as being for pedestrians, arguing that a bicycle — not being a pedestrian — should ordinarily be walked by hand through such areas by anyone showing consideration for others.
