Scooter operators oppose Lisbon ban referendum plan

Bolt, Lime and Byrd are opposing a proposal by Portugal’s Automobile Club (ACP) to hold a municipal referendum on whether Lisbon should stop authorising shared electric scooters, a debate that matters for urban mobility operators and city regulation in the Portuguese capital.

In a statement, the three companies said the proposal “links a real problem to the wrong solution” and argued that banning shared scooters would not solve road safety concerns. They said shared scooters are “the most regulated fleet in the city”, citing municipal permits, insurance, speed limits, mandatory parking zones and geofencing systems.

According to the operators, a ban would remove the most tightly controlled vehicles while leaving private scooters outside the same level of oversight. They also cited police data showing 623 accidents involving bicycles and electric scooters in the first four months of 2025, or 3.6% of all road accidents in that period, with no fatalities.

The companies acknowledged that the figures combine bicycles, private scooters and shared scooters and do not distinguish Lisbon from the rest of the country, but said they show shared micromobility is far from being the main cause of road accidents. Instead of a ban, they proposed stronger enforcement, more parking infrastructure, wider low-speed geofenced areas and limits on the number of vehicles in circulation, in coordination with Lisbon City Hall.

The ACP, for its part, says Lisbon residents should decide the future of shared e-scooters through a local referendum. Its proposed question to the municipal assembly is whether the city should stop authorising these systems on public space once the current permits expire, arguing that accident risks, dangers for pedestrians, pavement obstruction and weak enforcement justify the debate.

Originally published at Eco.pt