Porto, Portugal, April 7, 2025 (Lusa) - The mayor of Porto said on Monday that tuk-tuk operators have "every right" to be concerned about the restrictions on circulation in nine streets in the city centre, but argued that it is up to the council to "regulate the city".
Asked about the restrictions that come into force today for tuk-tuks, the independent mayor, Rui Moreira, said that the operators have "every right to be concerned", but that the council has been mandated to "regulate the city".
"In an ideal world for these private operators, the council of Porto wouldn't even exist, meaning that any activity could be carried out freely," he said on the sidelines of the private meeting of the council.
Emphasising the "very broad consensus" among the political forces on the need to regulate some activities, such as tuk-tuks, Rui Moreira regretted "not being able to please everyone".
"What we're doing is telling the ‘tuk-tuks’ that there are areas of the city where they can operate and areas of the city where, given the pressure that any Porto resident feels, they can't operate," he added.
As of today, tuk-tuks can no longer operate in Largo dos Loios, in the streets of Trindade Coelho, Mouzinho da Silveira, Ribeira Negra, Infante D. Henrique, Fernandes Tomás and Formosa, as well as in Praça de Almeida Garrett and the Ribeira Tunnel.
Following the announcement, 12 tuk-tuk companies said they would file an injunction against the restrictions on the circulation of tricycles and quadricycles.
The operators have also said that they will use other types of vehicles in their business, such as nine-seater vans or jeeps, even if the experience for tourists is not the same as in tuk-tuks.
Rui Moreira, who had already commented on the possible legal action on Thursday, emphasised that "any interested citizen has the right to take legal action to try to suspend or reverse the decisions" of the city council.
The mayor assured, however, that this new measure was based on "the path indicated in the previous judgement", referring to the decision of the Administrative and Fiscal Court (TAF) of Porto, dated January.
"We're following what the judges have told us, but naturally, if this measure is suspended, the municipality of Porto will comply," he said.
On 29 January, Rui Moreira announced the suspension of the restriction on tourist vehicles and occasional service buses in the historic centre of Porto that had been implemented in October, following a decision by the Administrative and Fiscal Court (TAF) of Porto.
At issue was the pilot project to restrict tourist vehicle traffic, which began on 1 October 2024 and restricted the circulation of tourist vehicles in downtown and central Porto.
The Porto TAF accepted the injunction filed by 12 tour operators against the municipality of Porto and ordered the suspension of the restrictions in the historic centre for these companies.
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