Como bans bikes in walled centre after mayor's e-bike collision

The mayor of Como has banned bicycles from the city's walled historical centre after being hit by one, a decision he says is for public safety but which critics are calling an overreaction. Alessandro Rapinese announced the ban this week, telling reporters he knows 'what it's like to be hit by one of these beasts,' according to the BBC. The measure comes into force immediately, affecting the narrow, crowded streets that draw millions of tourists each year.

The ban applies to the entire historic core, a maze of cobbled lanes and piazzas that has become a magnet for visitors since the lakeside city's profile rose sharply in recent years. Rapinese, who was struck by an electric bike, has denied he is waging a personal vendetta against cyclists amid a public backlash, reported the Guardian. The decision has provoked fierce debate in a city where cycling is both a daily commute and a leisure activity for tourists.

The mayor's collision occurred in the city centre, and he has framed the prohibition as a necessary response to a genuine hazard. 'I know what it's like to be hit by one of these beasts,' he said, according to the BBC. The ban's supporters point to the difficulty of sharing medieval streets with fast-moving electric bicycles, particularly during peak tourist season when pedestrian traffic is dense.

Cycling advocates and some residents have pushed back, arguing the move punishes sustainable transport rather than addressing the root causes of congestion. The Guardian reported that Rapinese denies a personal vendetta, but the timing — shortly after his own accident — has invited scepticism. Local businesses worry the ban could deter the very visitors who sustain the city's economy, though no figures have been cited to support that concern.

The episode echoes a broader tension familiar across Italy's historic centres, where the demands of heritage conservation, resident mobility and mass tourism collide. Como, like Florence, has seen its narrow streets strained by visitor numbers, and cities across the country are experimenting with restrictions on vehicles and, increasingly, on foot traffic. The outcome in Como will be watched by other municipalities weighing similar measures.

For Tuscany, the debate is a preview of arguments that may soon arrive in Florence's centre, where the balance between accessibility and preservation is a permanent fixture of local politics. The international coverage of Rapinese's ban has framed it as an extreme example of a wider European struggle to manage historic urban spaces under tourist pressure.