Improvements in Road Safety and sustainability in Barcelona
Barcelona Prosecutor's Office investigates the concrete blocks of the Eixample to pacify the streets
During the month of August we have seen new performances in the streets of Barcelona. An extension of the space for pedestrians and cyclists – extension that also affects Personal Mobility vehicles. We are in a serious climate emergency situation and a time when accidents continue to occur on the streets of the city.
A restriction of the space that drivers can use has an effect of reducing speed in the circulation of the streets and with a direct effect on the number of citizens who are victims of aggressions and injuries.
If there are also many more 30 km/h streets and stricter control of this measure, the effect of improving road safety will be evident.
From P(A)T we believe that in painted streets (not with works) with wider sidewalks, with lower speeds and with concrete blocks within the new pedestrian space, there is no doubt that the number of injured in the city will be significantly lower.
If a driver gets lost on the new sidewalk at the reduced speed that he has to apply and by bad luck touches one of the concrete blocks, only (if he wears a seat belt) he can suffer a scare of little danger. Possibly a dent in the car – but little else.
It is evident that there are drivers and groups of drivers who do not like the reduction of space and the decrease in speed in the city. But if every year some 9,000 drivers are involved in accidents where 12,000 citizens are injured in the mobility of Barcelona, it means that there is too much aggressiveness in traffic. The few drivers who can find a concrete block in their path do not know how to drive, drive too fast and cannot read or understand the situation on the road.
A judicial complaint to the City Council, for the actions that promote an improvement in the general situation of the victims in Barcelona, seems out of context and an action to continue with the current situation where drivers daily demonstrate their aggressiveness towards other road users public.
At P(A)T we want to support the actions of the City Council at such an important time for the majority of public road users: fewer cars and slower speeds. More space for pedestrians and better air quality.
Ole Thorson
