Benidorm moves to ban tandem mobility scooters popular with British holidaymakers

Town hall chiefs in Benidorm have approved a preliminary amendment to municipal mobility ordinances that will effectively ban the hire and use of tandem mobility scooters across the Costa Blanca resort.

The decision, passed unanimously by the full council following an initial 15-day consultation period, restricts mobility scooter usage exclusively to single-seater models. Municipal officials stated that the measure is intended to enforce road safety and align local regulations with updated Spanish national traffic laws.

Benidorm mobility councillor Francis Muñoz explained that the change follows an increase in accident rates involving personal mobility vehicles and electric scooters, which have expanded rapidly in pedestrian and urban zones in recent years.

Municipal leaders emphasised that the regulatory shift targets double-occupancy vehicles being marketed as leisure or alternative tourist transport rather than genuine mobility aids.

"Our intention is to prevent certain vehicles designed to carry several people from being used as a leisure activity or tourist transport alternative, creating dangerous situations in areas intended for pedestrians," Muñoz stated following the vote. He added that the measure is not intended to restrict access for individuals with genuine physical mobility requirements.

The new rules are scheduled to take effect following a second mandatory 30-working-day public consultation period.

Local vehicle hire firms continue to advertise tandem scooters online - typically priced between 50 euros for a single day and 70 euros for three days - with several owners indicating they had not received formal prior notification from the council regarding the upcoming restriction.

The move marks the latest step in a multi-year effort by Benidorm authorities to regulate mobility scooter usage in the resort, where the vehicles have long been popular among British tourists and expatriates.

In August 2022, a 58-year-old British tourist died after her single-seater rented scooter crashed through a safety barrier near the Benidorm Cross landmark, falling down a cliffside. Following that incident, local authorities ordered Guardia Civil and Local Police officers to intensify checks on scooter rentals.

Previous municipal measures enacted in 2015 and 2016 restricted scooter rentals to individuals aged over 55 or those holding medical certification, following complaints regarding improper use by young holidaymakers and stag groups. Major local hotel chains, including Servigroup, previously introduced internal prohibitions on mobility scooters inside hotel grounds following indoor collision incidents.

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