Amsterdam city council is to get tough on mini cars wrongly using the ferries, pavements and bike paths, according to traffic chief Melanie van der Horst.

Hundreds of Biros, Topolinos and Rocks have hit the capital’s streets over the past year, but many owners are still not aware of the rules for using them, officials say. In particular, the busy ferries between central station and Noord are out of bounds for the mini cars, Van der Horst said on Thursday.

“It is irresponsible to have them in between all the cyclists, walkers, children and dogs,” she said. “I don’t want to wait until something goes wrong. And according to the law, they are not allowed to drive there anyway.”

Mini car drivers travelling between the two halves of the city will now have to use the ferry between Zaandam and Westport or the two bridges over the waterway. Cantas which are officially recognised as vehicles for people with physical handicaps and have yellow number plates can still use the ferries.

City-wide, the mini cars are not allowed on pavements or cycle paths and officials will look into whether further campaigns are needed to make sure they stay in the correct place, Van der Horst said.

Mini cars owners are also now required to apply for an ordinary parking permit for their vehicles. City officials said earlier this week that the maximum of 3,000 places allocated for the small vehicles has been reached.