Dubai Marina brings in speed limit signs to tackle reckless e-scooter and bike riders

The 12kph limit was already in place but was often ignored, residents said

Signs have been erected in Dubai Marina Walk and Marina Mall Walk warning riders they must dismount. Rory Reynolds / The National

In this roughly 500 metre section from Marina Mall to the yacht wharf it is prohibited to cycle or use an e-scooter. Rory Reynolds / The National

E-scooters in particular have grown in popularity and many can reach 25kph or more. Antonie Robertson / The National

Signs warn cyclists and e-scooter riders they cannot exceed 12kph on Marina Walk. Antonie Robertson / The National

Nearby residents said too many riders exceed the speed limit, which they said was rarely enforced. Antonie Robertson / The National

The 8km walk of one of the city's most popular outdoor attractions. Antonie Robertson / The National

A worker carries a huge stack of cardboard to be recycled. Antonie Robertson / The National

Cycling has grown in popularity with Careem's bike-for-hire stations dotted throughout the city. Antonie Robertson / The National

New speed limit signs were introduced in Dubai Marina to deter reckless e-scooter and bike riders.

Yellow stickers were placed along the eight-kilometre Marina Walk loop at the weekend telling riders to slow down.

Two-wheelers were already restricted to 12 kilometres per hour but the limits are often ignored or riders plead ignorance, residents said.

E-scooters have become popular in the past year and some can reach 25kph or more.

Security guards regularly patrol the marina but do not tend to challenge riders.

Paul Young, who lives in Jumeirah Beach Residence, two streets away from Marina Walk, said pedestrians were keen for riders to slow down.

“They’re definitely a hazard,” said Mr Young, an energy manager from the UK.

“I’m in favour of the speed limit for scooters, they’ve become a real menace in residential areas.

“I would like to see them banned altogether in JBR as they are just not compatible in communities where there are lots of children.

“They go way too fast and you just don’t see or hear them coming."

E-scooter are on the rise and are particularly popular in the Marina and Downtown Dubai, where traffic and one-way systems can make short taxi journeys inconvenient.

Models such as the Chinese-made Segway Ninebot are limited to 17kph, but software can be installed to increase the speed towards 30kph.

The company makes about 90 per cent of the e-scooters in use in the US and the two-wheelers cost from Dh1,400.

The Xiaomi M365 Pro, which is sold on Noon and Amazon for about the same price, can reach 26kph without any modification.

Cyclists must wear helmets by law, though they are not compulsory for e-scooter riders and are rarely seen being worn.

As the electric rides have become more popular, doctors reported an increase in related injuries.

A recent US study reported close to 40,000 broken bones, head injuries, cuts and bruises resulting from scooter accidents.

The study on accidents in the US published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed the number of injuries trebled between 2014 and 2018.