Slovakian government introduces speed limit on pavements
Comments Off on Slovakian government introduces speed limit on pavementsSource: Euractiv
Recently, confusion arose after the Slovakian government announced a maximum speed of 6 km per hour on pavements, leading many to believe this regulation referred to limiting the speed of walkers. However, the government has since confirmed that the speed limit is for bicycles and e-scooters, not pedestrians, to improve safety on pavements.
The Slovak Parliament approved the amendment in late October, with the law set to take effect on 1 January 2026. The legislation aims to enhance pedestrian safety by establishing, for the first time, an official definition of average walking speed and applying this benchmark to regulate cyclists and e-scooter users on pavements.
However, the introduction of the 6 km/h limit quickly led to widespread misunderstanding online. Many users, and even some media organisations mistakenly interpreted the measure as applying to pedestrians as well.
Police Vice-President Rastislav Polakovič addressed the issue publicly, clarifying that no such limit exists for walkers. “Several media outlets linked this 6 km/h speed measurement to pedestrians walking. I must point out that this is not true,” he stated.
The Cyclist Advocacy Group Cyklokoalícia (Cycling Coalition) echoed this clarification, noting that the amendment “in no way restricts how fast pedestrians or runners may move, it doesn’t ban sprinting for the bus, nor does it introduce fines for walking too quickly.”
While welcoming the safety intentions behind the law, the group expressed concern over unintended consequences.
Under the new regulation, children under 10 years old will no longer be permitted to ride bicycles on pavements, as “a three-year-old on a bike can easily exceed 6 km/h.”
“The only certain outcome is that it will either teach children that breaking the law is normal, or push them onto roads where the consequences could be fatal.” Cyklokoalícia warned.
