Budapest City Council to vote on scooter, pigeon and taxi rules amid corruption scrutiny
Budapest’s City Council will vote next week on a sweeping package of new regulations targeting everything from electric scooters and pigeon birth control to taxi fares and bus-side advertising, as Hungary’s capital races to implement stricter controls across multiple urban policy fronts. The proposals, unveiled on Friday by Mayor Gergely Karácsony’s administration, follow a failed attempt last month to push through similar measures and arrive amid fresh scrutiny of local corruption scandals involving park maintenance contracts.
Under the draft rules, electric scooters would face tighter speed limits and mandatory parking zones, while city officials plan to introduce hormonal feeders to curb Budapest’s pigeon population—a long-standing nuisance that has worsened during the summer months. Taxi fares are also back on the agenda after a previous proposal was rejected in May, with drivers expected to push for higher base rates to offset rising fuel costs. Meanwhile, the City Council is moving to ban all advertising on the sides of municipal buses, a move that would align Budapest with stricter EU urban environment guidelines but could cost the city an estimated 1.2 billion forints (€3 million) in lost revenue annually.
The package reflects broader frustration with unregulated urban mobility and commercial practices. Last year, Budapest’s public transport authority recorded 18,000 scooter-related accidents, prompting calls for mandatory insurance and age restrictions. Pigeon overpopulation has meanwhile damaged historic buildings and public health standards, with city health inspectors reporting a 30% increase in droppings near food markets since 2024. The taxi fare debate has been particularly contentious, with driver unions staging protests in April after the City Council rejected a 15% hike proposed by the mayor’s office.
Environmental groups cautiously welcomed the advertising ban but warned that the scooter regulations do not go far enough to protect pedestrians. “We need dedicated bike lanes, not just speed limits,” said Dóra Vitéz, a policy advisor at the Clean Air Action Group. The City Council is expected to hold a final vote on July 3, with Karácsony’s coalition holding a slim majority in the assembly.
The proposals come as Budapest grapples with broader governance challenges, including a corruption investigation into a €4.5 million contract for park maintenance awarded to a company linked to a ruling-party donor. Opposition councillors have demanded an independent audit, but the mayor’s office has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.
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