Lisbon launches new measures to put people first post-lockdown
Lisbon has announced new measures to support walking and cycling as lockdown measures begin to ease.
A suite of plans have been announced, with a specific focus on cycling. Plans include over 30 miles of emergency cycle lanes, new cycle parking spaces, and a new fund to subsidize the purchase of bikes.
Plans were recently announced for the creation of 30km of pop-up bike lanes by September, followed by an additional 20km by the end of the year. Focus will be placed on connecting existing cycle infrastructure to provide a cross-city network linking people's homes to work, services and education. The City Council is reallocating space for cycling at a rate of one street per week, having already made changes to five streets. It is hoped that this will help to meet Lisbon's target of having 10% of journeys made by bike in 2021 -- up from 2% pre-COVID.
This is being accompanied with other measures to support cycling. Around 1700 bike parking spaces are being created around public transport stops and interchanges to provide a more integrated mobility system. Additionally, materials for 5000 parking spaces are being offered free of charge to recreational clubs, schools and other groups, with support available for installation.
A new 'mobility fund' will also allow citizens to apply for financial assistance to buy bikes. Up to €100 will be available for students to buy regular bicycles, whilst all citizens can apply for up to €350 for e-bikes, and up to €500 for cargo bikes.
Changes are also being made to reallocate space for walking. The new "The Street is Yours" initiative will see space reallocated to create wider pavements, additional space around public transport stops, space for seating outside bars, cafes and restaurants, and wider improvements to the urban realm such as 'shadow spaces' to provide shade in public spaces.
A new 30km/h speed limit is also coming into force to give greater safety and priority for people in the city.
This comes as public transport is recovering across the city, as highlighted in our recent Post-Lockdown Mobility webinar.
To find out more, please see this Forbes article and this presentation from the City of Lisbon (in Portuguese).
