Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas moves to suspend shared e-scooter system in the city

The announcement

Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas said on Thursday, 15 October, that the city will suspend its shared electric scooter system. He made the announcement live on the NOW channel, where he holds a commentary slot, and then posted a video on social media. He described the current arrangement as failing, pointing to scooters ridden against traffic, dangerous riding, a rise in accidents and scooters abandoned on pavements and public spaces. The suspension still needs approval at the council meeting scheduled for 21 October, where the executive holds a majority. Moedas said he hopes the Socialist Party, which also voted in favour of a similar measure in Braga, will support the move.

This is a disgrace and it is going to end. The system as it stands is not working.

Public space and safety

Moedas framed the decision around two problems. On public space, council services collect more than 1,200 badly parked scooters a month, and he said 9,000 had been removed this year alone. On safety, he told NOW that children and young people are among the riders and that accidents have risen 80% since 2023, with a significant share requiring hospital care. When he took over the council, Moedas recalled, he halved the number of shared scooters by negotiating with operators. He argued that the companies are well funded, since the council collects scooters that the firms then replace.

We reached an agreement with the suppliers, but it didn't work.

Moedas warned that if operators cannot guarantee that a scooter cannot be ridden against traffic, the council will have to take other measures. He called the dispute with the companies a war that would never end.

Accident figures

The GNR recorded 10 deaths, 88 serious injuries and 1,442 minor injuries between 2019 and 2025. Half of the deaths occurred in 2023, and minor injuries peaked at 548 in 2024. The force identifies the main causes of accidents as riding in unsuitable places such as pavements, disregard for road signs and not using safety and protective equipment. Those casualty counts cover seven years, while the 80% rise cited by Moedas runs from 2023 onward.

Helmets, referendum and next steps

The issue is also before parliament. On 1 October the Assembly of the Republic approved in general a PSD bill requiring helmets for users of electric scooters and e-bikes, and the bill now moves to committee stage. It would also require reflective clothing after dark or when visibility is poor. Separately, the Automóvel Clube de Portugal said it had collected about 20,000 signatures from registered Lisbon voters for a municipal referendum on whether the scooter system should continue. Moedas said Paris or Brussels had already moved to suspend the same system, and he noted that the bike-sharing scheme Gira will continue and be reinforced. The council vote on 21 October will decide whether the suspension takes effect.