Cycling and e-scooters in Dubai in 2026: the bike-lane network, RTA rules and the JBR ban

Dubai has been methodically building out cycling infrastructure for several years, and by 2026 the city has moved noticeably closer to its stated target — while at the same time tightening e-scooter rules after a string of accidents. Here is what has actually been built, and what is off-limits.

819km of tracks by the end of 2026

The RTA is targeting an 819km cycling network by the end of 2026: from 560km at the end of 2024, the network grew to 636km by the end of 2025, and in early 2026 the RTA delivered another 13 tracks totalling 162km as part of a 15-route master plan linking existing tracks from Al Khawaneej to Al Mamzar Beach. The longer-term target goes further than the annual milestone — a fully integrated 1,000km network by 2030, meant to connect coastal districts such as Jumeirah, Al Sufouh and the Marina with the Al Qudra, Seih Al Salam and Nad Al Sheba tracks via Al Barsha and Dubai Hills.

For a property buyer, this network is not abstract infrastructure but part of the daily commute: districts along completed tracks pick up another point in favour of walkable, cyclable access, alongside the metro and parks.

E-scooters: speed, registration, fines

The RTA caps e-scooter speed at 20km/h and requires riders to stick to designated tracks and approved zones rather than the road or busy pedestrian pavements. A permitted device must fold, have no seat, and weigh no more than 20kg within dimensions of 120×70×40cm — anything larger is effectively an e-bike and falls under separate rules. A helmet is mandatory. Enforcement is strict: in the first eight months of 2026 Dubai Police confiscated 13,657 e-scooters for traffic and safety violations — a number that speaks for itself about the scale of the problem and how seriously the city is now policing it.

JBR: the ban remains in force

In August 2024 the JBR community management banned e-scooters and e-bikes at ground level and on The Walk promenade following a rise in accidents: four deaths and 25 injuries in the first half of that year, with police recording an average of 43 violations a day. As of 2026 the ban remains in place: battery-powered devices are still prohibited specifically at ground level and on the JBR plaza, though a direct, recent confirmation of that status from the Dubai Media Office could not be located — when planning a trip to the district, assume the ban still applies rather than relying on older write-ups. Residents of other communities have since publicly called for similar restrictions after JBR — a trend, not an isolated case.

What it means for choosing a district

For a resident who uses a bike or scooter as primary transport rather than just for leisure, it is worth looking at districts along the network's completed sections — Al Barsha, JVC and the area around Dubai Hills Estate get a direct benefit from the expanding network, while in JBR the promenade currently works for walking only.

How a district's overall transport access feeds through to price and rental demand is covered in Dubai Metro: the lines, the Blue Line to 2029, and what a station does to apartment prices.