Muscat Municipality has banned all motorcycles and bikes from parks, beaches and gardens to avoid inconveniencing other guests.
In a statement, Muscat Municipality said: “Bicycles cause risks and disturbance to public comfort and inconvenience the site’s visitors.
“The ban is to avoid its effects on afforestation and damage as a result of the passage of bicycles.”
Local order No. 32/97, in the protection of municipal utilities, was used to implement the decision.
It is hoped the ban will prevent track marks from bikes damaging walkways or grass in parks.
Despite the ban, bike rental services are now being offered at Qurm Natural Park, with special routes purely for cyclists being marked out under the supervision of the municipality.
The news comes after Muscat Municipality banned people from hanging clothes out of windows or on balconies to dry them.
The practice was prohibited as part of efforts to make the city look more attractive to visitors.
Violations of that law could face fines of OMR50-5,000 or a jail sentence between 24 hours and six months in length.
