The Porto City Council has announced the suspension of restrictions on tourist vehicles and occasional service buses in the historic center of Porto. This decision follows a recent ruling from the Administrative and Fiscal Court (TAF) which ordered the city to lift the ban for all tourist transport operators. The move marks a significant change in Porto’s traffic regulation policies especially for businesses in the tourism sector.
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Restrictions On Tourist Vehicles In Porto
Mayor Rui Moreira made the announcement and emphasized that all tour operators should now be treated equally under the law.
He said:
From the moment this court decision is made (…) we must allow these measures to be extended to all operators. No one would understand if operators who were less fortunate or who did not act against the council were left out of these measures
Restriction And Its Initial Implementation
The Porto City Council introduced the restriction on tourist vehicles in October 2024 as part of a pilot project. It aimed to reduce congestion in the city downtown and central areas. The initiative was designed to limit the movement of certain tourist transport vehicles.
Only a tourist train and hop-on, hop-off double-decker buses will be operating under municipal licenses and are allowed to function within a designated area. Tuk-tuks and other occasional tourist buses were completely banned from these zones.
City officials argued that the restrictions were necessary to address growing traffic congestion and enhance the quality of life for residents. However, many tour operators strongly opposed this measure and stated that it unfairly targeted their businesses and disrupted the tourism industry in Porto.
A group of 12 tour operators decided to challenge the municipality decision in court. They argue that the restrictions were unjustified and detrimental to their livelihoods.
Court Ruling And Its Impact On Tourist Businesses In Porto
The Administrative and Fiscal Court (TAF) ruled in favor of the 12 operators who filed the lawsuit. As a result, the court ordered the suspension of the restrictions in Porto historic center for these companies. This ruling came as a surprise to city officials as the municipality had previously won five similar cases in court.
Mayor Moreira admitted:
We did not expect this outcome because previous rulings had been in favor of the city. Although today’s decision has its effects limited to the 12 authoring companies, we understand that this cannot mean the granting of any monopoly in the city of Porto
But he confirmed that the city would appeal the ruling. However, he also acknowledged that the appeal process would not delay the court’s order from taking effect immediately.
All tourist vehicle operators which include tuk-tuks, sightseeing buses and other forms of tourist transport are now allowed to operate freely in Porto’s historic center once again as a consequence of the ruling.
Moreira stated:
From now on, anyone who wants to operate ‘tuk-tuks’ can do so,
Future Measures To Control Traffic Flow In Porto
The mayor made it clear that the city still intends to introduce new measures to regulate traffic and reduce congestion in the downtown area. He suggested that the municipality would explore alternative solutions.
Moreira explained:
We have to start from scratch, we have to do a ‘reset’. By doing a ‘reset’, we now need to listen to the municipal departments, the Municipal Police and think about how we can implement other measures that in some way mitigate this problem that we have
The mayor also highlighted that the pilot project had successfully contributed to easing traffic congestion in Porto historic center despite the opposition from some tour operators. He expressed concerns that lifting the restrictions entirely could result in a return to the chaotic traffic conditions that the city had previously experienced.
Reactions From Tour Operators
Tour operators have welcomed the court ruling as a major victory for their businesses. Many of them believe that the restrictions imposed by the city were unfair and placed unnecessary obstacles in their way.
The administrator of WildBloom Alex Dominguez Ramos which was one of the companies involved in the legal challenge expressed his satisfaction with the outcome.
He said:
The damage that has already been caused and that would be caused if this decision had not been made would be irreparable. We remain available to find a solution, because we know there are traffic problems, but I think an apology [from the council] wouldn’t be amiss
He also emphasized that the approach taken by the city council was flawed. But tour operators understand the need to address traffic problems in Porto
The suspension of restrictions on tourist vehicles in Porto represents a significant turning point in the city ongoing efforts to balance tourism with urban mobility. The court ruling favors tour operators. City officials remain committed to implementing new traffic control measures to prevent congestion and maintain order in the historic center.
