The map is a result of the community wanting to keep up with GIRA's expansion. EMEL has not disclosed the locations where it is installing stations, nor has it made available the network's growth plans.
This Thursday, February 10th, three new GIRA stations become operational: two in Olivais and one in Lumiar. But already installed and awaiting opening are dozens of stations around the city, and there are new ones being installed. Through social networks, GIRA users are sharing photos whenever they find new stations yet to open, but, lacking a map showing the future expansion of the GIRA network, Carlos decided to create a.
Carlos Fonseca, 35, software engineer, lives in São Domingos de Benfica and "whenever possible" uses the bicycle to move around the city, "already since 2019". His parish is one of those that will soon have GIRA and Carlos looks forward to that moment. "I always thought it was very positive that GIRA existed in the city but, other than trying it once or twice, I never used it regularly since the stations that do exist do not serve my daily life"mentions. "With the expansion of the network to my parish, the case changes. I might consider going somewhere by bike and returning by another mode of transportation, for example."
For now, the closest station to São Domingos is in the neighboring parish of Benfica, near the health center and the cyclopedestrian bridge that allows you to reach Monsanto. It is one of the stations that is in purple on Carlos' map, indicating a station that is already set up but inactive. Nearby, on Rua Inácio de Sousa, next to the Conde Almoster cycling path, there used to be a station. "It was set up taking up two parking spaces but was eventually removed because the residents complained"he says. "Since then, that dock has not been reinstated." Carlos put a pin gray on the site where this station was installed, suggesting future expansion.
Carlos recognizes that "this is an area with a lot of parking pressure and few garages" e "all the streets between Estrada de Benfica and Conde Almoster are crowded with parked cars". “Good practice says that cycling space should take space away from the car, not the pedestrian."but in the face of pressure from those who value automobile parking "pedestrian and cycling modes are the ones that end up losing out". "It's a complicated political game, but one that has to be played if we want better cities, with less pollution, fewer hit-and-runs, and more space for people."Carlos points out. "Putting several Gira stations along Conde Almoster, which has a bike path, will allow many more people to opt for that method of transportation to access the city center."
The community map that Carlos Fonseca started is available on Google Maps. To contribute, simply send your location by GPS coordinates or photographs of new stations to through a message on Twitter or the Lisboa For People's Discord. The stations marked in green are active stations, which are in full operation. Purple shows stations that are inactive but already installed. Gray shows stations that will be planned for that area, according to the documentation that is being published.
GIRA's expansion plans are not clear or public. Some EMEL maps and other emerging information give clues as to where stations should be installed, and it is on this data that Carlos and the community rely. "There is talk of 50 unopened stations. Which ones? Where are they? EMEL doesn't say directly. If we want to know, we have to look on the pages of some parishes, look on the spot, or look in the news."
In 2022, EMEL is not expected to buy new docks. Instead, it will open up the docks that are already in place and install the ones it still has in stock or possibly yet to come into its hands. GIRA should expand this year to Benfica and São Domingos de Benfica, to the 24 de Julho/Avenida da Índia axis up to Restelo, to Amoreiras, Campolide and Campo de Ourique; at the same time it should be reinforced in Carnide, Lumiar/Telheiras and in the Almirante Reis axis (where, for example, a station in Largo do Intendente has yet to be opened). The future expansion of the network should then go through the "Alcântara-Ajuda and Restelo-Belém axes, Marvila-ISEL, riverside axis, interfaces and intermunicipal relations with Loures, Odivelas, Oeiras and Amadora, as well as densification in the parishes of Benfica, Lumiar and Olivais"according to information that went to a town hall meeting at the end of last year.
