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Portuguese urban mobility and traffic regulation

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2026-09-30 22:34 UTC → 2026-10-02 14:39 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Association for Urban Bicycle Mobility (MUBi) has proposed revisions to Portugal’s national Highway Code and Traffic Signaling Regulations to the Ministry of Internal Administration. MUBi advocates for a standard 30 km/h speed limit in urban areas to replace the current 50 km/h limit, citing safety models from Spain and Wales. The organization also recommends establishing a distinct legal category for Personal Mobility Vehicles (VMP), such as electric scooters, to improve regulatory predictability. Under current Portuguese traffic law, electric scooters are classified as velocipedes if they maintain a maximum continuous motor power of 0.25 kW and a maximum speed of 25 km/h. As velocipedes, riders must yield to pedestrians and other velocipedes at crossings. If a scooter exceeds these technical thresholds, it is reclassified as a moped, necessitating registration, insurance, official homologation, and a driver’s license. In a recent legislative development, the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic approved in general terms a bill proposed by the PSD that would mandate helmet use for users of electric scooters, electric bicycles, and similar motorized devices, including self-balancing devices and electric monocycles. The bill also requires the use of reflective clothing or retroreflective equipment from dusk to dawn or during poor visibility. Non-compliance will result in fines: between 60 and 300 euros for scooter users, and between 30 and 150 euros for electric bicycle users or those failing to use reflective gear. The specific characteristics of the required reflective equipment are to be defined by the government following a proposal from the Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT). The legislation will now proceed to specialized discussion within the Commission on Infrastructure, Mobility, and Housing.

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