Lisbon, Aug. 25, 2026 (Lusa) - The National Association of the Ride Hailing Movement said on Tuesday that safety in Albufeira's nightlife «must be linked to a policy of safe, accessible and effective mobility».
The association president, Victor Soares, responded in a statement to the road accident that occurred in the early hours of this morning on Rua da Oura in Albufeira, which left 12 people injured, two of them seriously, expressing his solidarity with all the victims and «wishing a speedy recovery to those injured», including the members of the security forces who were struck during the incident.
Given the seriousness of the events, the association considers it «essential» to once again bring to the forefront of the discussion the point it has been raising with the Mayor of Albufeira, Rui Cristina: that the safety of nightlife in this Algarve town «must be linked to a policy of safe, accessible and effective mobility».
«The ride-hailing service plays an essential role in this context. Every day and every night, thousands of residents, workers and tourists rely on the ride-hailing service to get to and from their accommodation or homes without having to drive after consuming alcohol or when, for whatever reason, they are no longer fit to drive safely,» the statement said.
On 23 July, the Mayor of Albufeira announced that the council would ban ride-hailing vehicles from areas where their build-up was hindering traffic flow and access for emergency vehicles.
The sector opposed the measure, and the following day it gathered around 100 people to protest the council's decision, which participants described as illegal and discriminatory for imposing restrictions solely on these professionals.
On the same day, the mayor and industry representatives met, and following the meeting, Rui Cristina announced that Albufeira Town Council would create designated pick-up and drop-off points for ride-hailing vehicles, but would maintain the ban on driving in the areas covered by the measure.
According to Victor Soares, «restricting ride-hailing in an area with a vibrant nightlife does not merely mean restricting an economic activity. It may mean hindering a safe transport alternative and, indirectly, encouraging the use of private cars to reach these areas.» The association «does not intend to jump to conclusions or establish a causal link between the municipal measures and the accident that occurred in the early hours of this morning,» emphasising that «the authorities hold sole responsibility for investigating the circumstances and responsibilities.» Accordingly, Victor Soares believes that any reassessment of safety measures in the Oura area «must necessarily include night-time mobility and the pick-up and drop-off points for ride-hailing passengers, allowing these vehicles to operate in properly defined, monitored locations that are sufficiently close to nightlife areas».
On 20 August, the association filed an application for an interim injunction against Albufeira Municipal Council's decision to restrict the movement of transport vehicles booked via online platforms in the city centre.
The interim injunction, the text of which Lusa saw, was filed with the Administrative and Tax Court in Loulé and requests the judges to order the «immediate suspension of the administrative measure adopted by Albufeira Municipal Council» until a final decision on the case is reached.
Today's hit-and-run incident in Albufeira occurred at around 3:00 a.m., when a vehicle that had been parked on a public road began to move. Members of the National Republican Guard (GNR) police force ordered the driver to stop, but he disobeyed, reversed, and continued driving.
According to the GNR, the officers again ordered the driver to stop, but he continued toward the crowd, striking several people and proceeding, which prompted the officers to fire warning shots into the air in an attempt to halt the vehicle.
The car then collided with another vehicle, and the individual attempted to flee on foot, but officers eventually arrested him.
RCP/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
