Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas Intends to Suspend Kick-Sharing Service

Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas announced his intention to suspend the e-scooter rental scheme, calling it a 'disgrace'. According to him, scooters ride against traffic, the number of accidents is growing, and the city collects more than 1,200 abandoned scooters per month. The matter will be considered at the city council meeting on 21 October.

tafs uz editorial deskFirst published on tafs uz 16 October 2026 at 17:372 min readAI translation

The key facts

Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas announced his intention to suspend the e-scooter rental service, calling it a 'disgrace' and 'not working'
The city collects more than 1,200 abandoned scooters per month; Bolt, Lime and Bird operate in the city
The matter will be considered at the city council meeting on 21 October; the decision followed a petition by the Automobile Club of Portugal for a local referendum

Mayor Announces Plans to Suspend Kick-Sharing

Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas on Thursday, 16 October, announced his intention to suspend the e-scooter rental service in the Portuguese capital. In a video posted on his social media, he called the scheme a 'disgrace' and said it 'does not work'. According to him, scooters ride down streets in the wrong direction, people behave dangerously, the number of accidents is growing, and scooters are left abandoned in public places.

More Than 1,200 Scooters Collected Per Month

Moedas added that the city administration collects more than 1,200 scooters every month. 'That is exactly why we made the decision. We will suspend the scooter rental system in Lisbon,' he said.

Context of the Petition and City Council Vote

The decision followed the Automobile Club of Portugal (ACP) launching a petition in August for a local referendum on 'the future of rental scooters' in Lisbon. The aim was to allow residents to express their opinion on whether the city council should stop granting permits for kick-sharing services to operate in the municipal public space after the current licences expire. In an interview with the outlet Now on Thursday, the mayor said he would present the proposal at the city council meeting and expressed hope for the support of the Socialist Party, which previously voted for a similar suspension in Braga, to ensure an 'immediate suspension of rental scooters' in the city. The matter is included in the agenda of the city council meeting on 21 October.