Lisbon's GIRA Bike Share Crisis: Service Normalcy Expected by Mid-June Amid Vandalism and Power Outage Fallout

Lisbon's beloved GIRA bike-sharing system is facing a severe crisis, with empty stations and hundreds of damaged bikes leaving users frustrated. The EMEL points to a power outage and vandalism as the culprits, but critics argue the lack of communication has only worsened the situation. The Vice-Mayor of Lisbon, Filipe Anacoreta Correia, has announced that normal service is expected to resume by mid-June.

The Heart of the Crisis

Users are not just battling empty stations but also a lack of transparency from EMEL, which failed to warn about service disruptions. The Vice-Mayor revealed that repairs and part replacements would delay normal operations until mid-June. This comes after a significant drop in available bikes in May, with numbers plummeting to 750, far below the promised 2000.

The Blame Game

Anacoreta Correia attributes the shortage to an April power outage, which damaged 480 bikes' electrical systems, severely impacting GPS functionality. Meanwhile, opposition parties criticize the city's handling, with the Livre party planning to launch an interactive dashboard for real-time service updates, accusing EMEL of withholding data.

Vandalism Adds to Woes

EMEL reports increased vandalism, particularly in Santa Clara and Ajuda, leading to temporary station closures. The company is mobilizing additional resources and engaging local communities to combat this trend, aiming to restore trust and service reliability.

Despite these challenges, the Vice-Mayor highlights the system's growth, with trips doubling from 1.4 million in 2021 to 2.9 million in 2024. However, with only 900 bikes currently available, the question remains: Can GIRA recover its reputation and service levels by June?