Portimão Municipal Council has approved the launch of a municipal regulatory process, paving the way for new restrictions governing the use of rented e-scooters, bicycles, and other vehicles that are operated as part of shared services within the municipality.
The proposal was put forward by councillors elected on the PSD/CDS-PP/IL coalition ticket and nominated by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Carlos Gouveia Martins and Alexandra Evangelista.
According to a statement issued by Carlos Gouveia Martins, the proposal was backed by councillors from the PSD and PS, as well as one Chega councillor. Two other Chega councillors, Pedro Xavier and Ester Coelho, voted against the motion.
The decision has not yet led to the approval of a set of regulations. Instead, it formally launches a process aimed at establishing fair rules for the use of shared e-scooters, bicycles and other “forms of micromobility” in Portimão.
The process will include a technical assessment, an evaluation of parking within the city, circulation areas, and the identification of potential conflicts involving pavements and accessible routes.
It will also involve consultation and coordination with Portimão's Municipal Water and Waste Management Company (EMARP), local security forces, transport operators, parish councils, organisations representing people with disabilities or reduced mobility, as well as representatives from the retail, tourism and other business sectors.
The initiative is also aligned with Portimão's 2024-2034 Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan. According to the backers of the new set of rules, it will not encroach on the powers of the country’s Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT), nor will it restrict operators' access to economic activity.
“Portimão does not have to choose between innovation and safety. Shared e-scooters, bicycles, and other forms of micromobility can be useful for short urban journeys, but they must respect pedestrians, accessibility, public space, and the city's rules,” Carlos Gouveia Martins said in a press statement sent to journalists.
The councillor argues that the new framework should address issues including parking, safety, accessibility, and the use of public space.
“An incorrectly parked e-scooter may seem like little more than an inconvenience to some. But for a person with reduced mobility, a blind person, an elderly person or a family with a pushchair, it can represent a real barrier,” he said.
With the proposal now approved, Portimão Municipal Council is authorised to begin the relevant research required to build up a list of proposed rules, along with necessary consultations and legal procedures.
Source: Barlavento
Photo credit: Archive image
