That’s it. This time, it looks final. Anyone who enjoyed zipping around town for short trips is in mourning today. Those who walked along the pavements, constantly looking over their shoulders and jumping every time someone with questionable riding skills whizzed past can raise a glass of Vinho Verde to the city council.
Lisbon has officially decided to remove shared electric scooters from its streets by the end of 2026. The city council has approved the suspension of rental services such as Bolt, Lime and Bird. Following the decision, operators will have 60 days to remove their scooters from the city. If they fail to do so, the council will remove them itself and bill the companies for the removal and storage costs. Operators will first have 10 days to respond in writing, after which the decision will become final. Private e-scooters are not affected by the ban.
The authorities say the decision follows complaints about people riding on pavements and against the flow of traffic. According to Mayor Carlos Moedas, the city removes more than 1,200 abandoned scooters from its streets every month. Speed limits, no-go zones and remote deactivation have failed to solve the problem, in the council’s assessment. Deputy Mayor Gonçalo Reis says there are no plans to bring shared scooters back. Instead, the council promises more cycle lanes, along with new stations and bicycles for the Gira public bike-sharing scheme.
Lisbon will become the fifth European capital to do away with shared e-scooters. Paris ditched them in 2023 following a city referendum, Madrid followed in 2024, and Prague from January 2026. Brussels will remove them from 2027. In Berlin, Rome, Vienna and Stockholm, shared e-scooters are still available, but with restrictions.
In Porto, the scooters are still on the streets for now, although Mayor Pedro Duarte has already said he wants to significantly reduce their numbers. The neighbouring municipalities of Vila Nova de Gaia, Braga and Espinho have already scrapped shared scooter services.
