An environmental association has released a study coinciding with the launch of a campaign named “Ruas para a Criançada,” intended to highlight the necessary improvements for Lisbon to enhance its ranking in urban mobility focusing on children.
Lisbon was ranked 35th among 36 European cities in a study evaluating efforts to prioritize children in urban mobility decisions. This ranking was disclosed in a report by the environmental group Zero.
Key indicators for the ranking included the development of school streets, which limit motorized traffic, the prevalence of safe speed limits (30 km/h or less), and the availability of protected cycling infrastructure.
Overall, Paris led the list with consistent performance across all indicators, followed by Amsterdam and Antwerp.
Regarding school streets—areas adjacent to primary schools where pedestrian and cyclist priority is emphasized—London, Milan, and Paris topped the list.
Lisbon holds the 33rd position for school streets, surpassing only Madrid, Munich, and Sofia, as the city has no established school streets.
The Portuguese capital also performed poorly on the safe speed limits indicator, ranking 32nd, with Paris, Brussels, and Lyon leading this category.
Under the leadership of Mayor Carlos Moedas, only 5% of Lisbon’s road network adheres to a speed limit of 30 km/h, compared to Paris’s 88.9% compliance.
In the area of protected cycling infrastructure, Lisbon ranks 31st, behind cities like Paris, which leads, followed by Helsinki and Copenhagen.
Currently, Lisbon has 7% protected cycling infrastructure coverage, while Paris stands at 48%.
The evaluation of the 36 cities was a national effort by various associations working with municipal administrations and other public bodies.
In Lisbon, this effort was coordinated by Zero, in partnership with Kidical Mass, Ecomood, and Lisboa Possível.
