Beersel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Beersel police and Mayor Jo Vander Meylen removed 6 illegal e-scooters and fined 6 riders during a safety operation. Chief Marc Crispel cited growing Zenne Valley concerns and past Brussels and Antwerp crackdowns.
As VRT News reported, in Beersel, in the province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium, police carried out a large-scale operation this afternoon, Aug 27, 2025, to take action against illegal and unsafe electric scooters. Mayor Jo Vander Meylen of the Mayor List stressed that strict enforcement is necessary. She said that over-inflated or non-compliant scooters pose a danger on the streets.
“We are also seeing more cyclists and scooter riders ignoring traffic lights and running red signals. That is very dangerous for everyone,”
she explained. The mayor added that authorities want to remove only the irresponsible riders while protecting those who follow the rules.
She confirmed that any scooters confiscated for breaking the rules will be destroyed. The mayor emphasised that this operation is part of ongoing monitoring to improve safety and reduce nuisance for residents.
How are Beersel and Zenne Valley authorities tackling illegal e-scooters?
Police Chief Marc Crispel shared details of the enforcement efforts. He said that in recent weeks, 23 scooters had already been removed from traffic. During the 2-hour operation today, Aug 27, 2025, another 6 scooters were taken off the streets.
There were 6 fines issued to cyclists and moped riders for using smartphones. This enforcement comes after a demand from the mayors of the Zenne Valley for stricter enforcement related to scooters that were disturbing residents.
Eva Demesmaeker, the mayor of Halle (N-VA), explained that inspections are necessary because several accidents have already happened. She stated that making users aware of the rules and the enforcement of the rules needs to be followed to prevent further incidents. The authorities want to ensure that the users understand the rules.
Jo Vander Meylen, mayor of Beersel, pointed out that the legislation around e-scooters is still poorly understood.
“You see 10-year-old boys receiving an electric scooter for their birthday, even though they are only allowed to ride one when they are 16,”
she said. Jan Desmeth, mayor of Sint-Pieters-Leeuw (N-VA), added that some scooters are simply banned in Belgium, yet they are widely seen on the streets.
He suggested organising a thematic hearing at the police court to review all cases of e-scooter offences.
“Perhaps we should also organise a thematic hearing at our police court, where all people who commit offences with an e-scooter are reviewed,”
he said.
In Brussels, authorities conducted a major e-scooter crackdown in May 2023, targeting illegal scooters and issuing fines to riders who ignored traffic rules. In Antwerp, a comparable operation took place in September 2022, during which police removed dozens of non-compliant scooters from busy streets and sidewalks.
