MEETING WITH BARCELONA CITY COUNCIL

Road safety every day

On October 4, we had the opportunity to speak with Albert Batlle, third deputy mayor and councilor of the Prevention, Security, Coexistence Area of Barcelona City Council. It was a constructive and cordial meeting, in which we were able to convey our concerns and suggestions about various aspects related to urban mobility and road safety.

One of the points we raised was our opposition to the variable regulation of some streets, such as Aragón Street, which changes the speed limit depending on the time of day. It seems to us to be an ineffective and inconsistent measure, which can generate confusion and danger among drivers and vulnerable road users. The City Council explained to us that this measure responds to the difficulty of enforcing the 30 km/h limit on empty roads at night, but we believe that reducing speed benefits everyone to guarantee less harm in the event of an accident.

Another issue we addressed was two-way bike lanes, which we considered very dangerous for both cyclists and pedestrians. These bike lanes are not wide enough to allow two bicycles to pass simultaneously in the opposite direction, forcing cyclists to invade pedestrian space or that of motorized vehicles. In addition, they create danger and confusion for pedestrians at some poorly marked intersections, where they do not know where they can cross without the risk of being run over. Therefore, we ask that these bike lanes be eliminated and replaced with one-way, safer and more efficient ones.

In short, it was a positive meeting, in which we were able to present our proposals and listen to those of the City Council. We hope that they will translate into concrete actions that improve road safety and the quality of life of traffic victims. We will continue working to make Barcelona a more humane and sustainable city.