Electric scooters banned on Madrid public transport following recent incident involving exploding battery

THE Community of Madrid announced this Friday, October 27, a provisional ban on passengers entering the public transport network with electric scooters.

Details of the decision were released in a statement today following a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Regional Transport Consortium (CRTM).

🛴 La Comunidad de Madrid impedirá el acceso de patinetes eléctricos al transporte público para garantizar la seguridad de los usuarios.

🚍 La restricción afecta a autobuses, instalaciones y vehículos de @metro_madrid y los cinco intercambiadores. https://t.co/jOl6a7W37b

— Comunidad de Madrid (@ComunidadMadrid) October 27, 2023

On October 17, the battery of one of these devices exploded inside a train while it was in La Elipa station, on Metro Line 2. Thankfully, there were no injuries sustained by those on board at the time.

The new restrictive measure will come into force on November 4. As a result, passengers carrying electric scooters will be prevented from entering buses belonging to the Municipal Transport Company of Madrid (EMT).

Where will this new ruling apply?

This ruling will apply to all interurban and urban buses in other municipalities, as well as in the facilities and vehicles of the Metro de Madrid. It also includes the five interchanges of Plaza de Castilla, Moncloa, Príncipe Pío, Plaza Elíptica and Avenida de América.

Any passenger failing to comply with the new measure will be duly expelled from the transport. As reported by the regional government, the limitation will last until the safety conditions of this type of device when carried on public transport are ‘completely verified’.

Today’s decision by the CRTM came as no surprise considering the regional councillor Miguel Ángel García Martín had already announced previously that applying this restriction was being considered.

Similar measures have already been taken in other autonomous communities, such as Catalonia, where, for the moment, the presence of these devices has been banned indefinitely.

On November 17, 2022, an electric scooter exploded on a train in Barcelona

An electric scooter exploded in a carriage of a Catalan train on November 17, 2022, as it passed through Barcelona’s San Boi de Llobregat. It caused at least five injuries to passengers, along with extensive material damage.

As a result, those responsible for public transport began to consider the prohibition of these devices, a veto that became effective on February 1.

The measure was extended again for three more months, until October 31. It was announced this week by the board of directors of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that the limitation would remain in place for the time being.

To ensure compliance with this resolution – which is also aimed at ensuring the protection of the workers of the different companies – the CRTM asked the operators involved to disseminate this change in their digital and printed information channels. This includes social networks, web pages, posters, informative panels and banners.