“This action is for all audiences, but Vila Real has about 15,000 students between secondary and university and it is a population that has been growing and we have a very large audience here”, said the mayor, Rui Santos .

The mayor highlighted that scooters are an important part of a strategy to improve urban mobility, which is “about to be completed” and which included public transport, new parking lots, an increase in the tariff area, the two elevators that will help “Overcoming unevenness” and cycle paths, with the section between the station and the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) currently being completed.

“In three, four minutes it will be possible to cross the city from end to end on a scooter”, highlighted Rui Santos.

The pilot project starts with around 100 scooters, but can increase to 200 and has Bolt as a partner company. Around the city there will be 50 “mandatory” sharing points for vehicle collection and drop-off.

“We know that it is a transport model that has to be used with conscience, that it is a mode of transport that will cohabit with the others, namely cars and buses, which have different circulation speeds and, as such, requires from the part of the users the proper awareness of its use", said councilor Adriano Sousa, who added that awareness-raising actions will be carried out jointly with the operator and the PSP.

Circulation speed in the Trás-os-Montes city is set at a maximum of 20 kilometers per hour.