In 2025, road safety in Spain will be further reinforced with the introduction of the innovative pink line in horizontal signage on urban roads. This innovation aims to regulate the coexistence between personal mobility vehicles (PMVs) - such as bicycles and electric scooters - and other road users.
This new marking, already visible in several Spanish cities, is not a warning of immediate danger, but rather a clear demarcation of the space reserved for PMVs, with the aim of avoiding conflicts and reducing road accidents. The pink stripes are painted on certain sections of urban lanes, generally in areas with a high concentration of users travelling at different speeds. Their function is to ensure that bicycles and scooters always travel to the left of this lane, establishing a protected and identified space.
Purpose of the new signage
The exponential growth of PMVs on Spanish streets has led to the need to design new regulations for their use. At the same time, green lines have emerged, which designate exclusive areas for runners, skaters and pedestrians using skates, differentiating slower users with a reserved space on the lane. The combination of these lines, pink for PMVs and green for slower users, serves a central purpose: to separate sectors that travel at different speeds. In this way, the risk of accidents and coexistence on the road is optimised, as each group has its own defined space.
Although they do not change the traditional rules for car and motorbike drivers, these lanes provide information and organisation, allowing for safer and smoother coexistence in urban spaces. Specifically, the aim is to reduce tense and dangerous situations arising from sharing the same lane with such disparate speeds and modes of travel.
How the lines work
The contrasting colours in the road markings are not accidental. The pink lines exclusively delimit areas for bicycles, scooters and other personal mobility vehicles, indicating that they must travel on the left-hand side. On the other hand, the green lines mark spaces dedicated to runners and skaters, who tend to move at a slower pace.
This clear division makes it easier for faster users not to mix with those who move more slowly, minimising the risk of collisions or falls due to unexpected overtaking. In addition, this visual organisation promotes more orderly movement, as each user knows exactly where their traffic area is.