Tías Police Remove 71 Electric Scooters from Public Areas in Puerto del Carmen
Authorities step up action over electric scooters left on pavements, pedestrian areas and promenades as Tías moves towards tighter regulation of VMPs
Visitors and residents in Puerto del Carmen may have noticed considerably fewer rental electric scooters parked around some of the resort’s busiest public areas following a new operation by the Tías Local Police.
A total of 71 electric scooters have been removed from public spaces in the municipality of Tías, with the majority reportedly collected from locations around Puerto del Carmen.
The scooters, officially classified in Spain as Vehículos de Movilidad Personal (VMP) or Personal Mobility Vehicles, were removed after being found occupying public areas including pavements, pedestrian zones and promenades.
The vehicles are currently being held at municipal facilities while the authorities continue their efforts to control how electric scooter rental businesses operate within the municipality.
Why have the electric scooters been removed?
The latest action is primarily concerned with the occupation and appropriate use of public space, rather than simply the presence of electric scooters in Puerto del Carmen.
Rental scooters left on pavements and pedestrian areas can create obstacles, particularly in busy tourist areas where there are already large numbers of pedestrians.
This can be especially problematic for wheelchair users, people with reduced mobility, parents with pushchairs and visually impaired pedestrians, who need pavements and pedestrian routes to remain accessible.
Tías Council says its approach is aimed at protecting three main areas: road safety, accessibility and peaceful coexistence between different users of public spaces.
The council has also indicated that the operation is not a one-off measure. Local Police are expected to continue removing rental VMPs found improperly occupying public areas, with the relevant companies potentially facing sanctions.
Not the first electric scooter crackdown in Puerto del Carmen
This isn’t the first time authorities in Tías and Puerto del Carmen have taken action involving rental electric scooters.
Tías Mayor José Juan Cruz and Councillor for Mobility Sergio García referred to previous interventions involving rental scooters operating in the tourist resort.
According to information released about the latest operation, previous concerns have included complaints from members of the public and traffic accidents involving VMPs.
In fact, a similar operation took place in August 2025, when Tías Local Police removed 72 electric scooters that had been left in public areas around Puerto del Carmen.
The latest removal of another 71 scooters therefore demonstrates that electric scooter regulation in Puerto del Carmen remains an ongoing issue rather than a new problem.
What are the rules for electric scooters in Spain in 2026?
The situation in Puerto del Carmen also comes at an important time for electric scooter laws in Spain, with the national regulatory framework for VMPs becoming considerably more formalised.
The Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) classifies electric scooters falling within the VMP category as vehicles rather than toys.
Under the basic national rules, VMPs cannot be ridden on pavements or pedestrian areas. They are also prohibited from travelling on motorways, dual carriageways and interurban roads, among other restricted locations.
Electric scooters classified as VMPs are designed for one person and have a maximum design speed between 6 km/h and 25 km/h.
That 25 km/h limit is important: scooters modified to exceed the permitted performance may no longer comply with VMP requirements.
Tourists hiring electric scooters in Lanzarote should check the rules
Electric scooters can appear to be an easy way of travelling short distances while on holiday, particularly in resorts such as Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise and Playa Blanca.
However, hiring one doesn’t remove the rider’s responsibility to follow Spanish traffic regulations.
Before using a rental electric scooter in Lanzarote, visitors should make sure they understand:
- where the scooter is legally permitted to be ridden; whether the rental company is operating in accordance with local requirements; where the scooter can legally be parked; what insurance arrangements apply; whether the scooter complies with current VMP requirements; and any additional rules imposed by the municipality.
Riders should also remember that traffic rules applying to VMPs are taken seriously. An electric scooter is not treated simply as a recreational toy once it is being used on public roads.
Electric scooter rules can vary between Lanzarote municipalities
Another important consideration for both tourists and residents is that municipal regulations are not necessarily identical across Lanzarote.
For example, Arrecife approved new VMP regulations in 2026 establishing rules including a prohibition on riding on pavements and pedestrian areas, a minimum riding age of 16 and restrictions concerning the roads on which VMPs can circulate.
The Arrecife rules also address technical requirements and prohibit VMPs that have been modified to alter their performance or exceed the legal maximum speed of 25 km/h.
Meanwhile, authorities in Costa Teguise have also been carrying out enforcement operations involving unauthorised rental electric scooters. Teguise Council reported further Local Police action against unauthorised scooters in the resort earlier in 2026.
This demonstrates why visitors travelling between different areas of Lanzarote should not assume that every municipality has exactly the same local rules.
