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Cycling Cities on the Move – Barcelona, Spain
October 29, 2021 - Population 1.62 million – Barcelona’s approval of its 2024 Urban Mobility Plan encompasses 300 measures including increasing bicycle journeys from 2.28% to 5%, a surge of 129.4% in modal shift. Pedestrian traffic and public transport will also see increases while private vehicles are slated to decrease 25.6% of modal share.
Building on the momentum of its 2015 Bicycle Strategy that saw the number of bike lanes double, an additional 32.6km of seperated bike lanes will be implemented by 2023 for a total cycling network of 272km, with plans to increase the system to 305km.
In conjunction with Barcelona’s 10-year plan for the greening of the city, headlined by its radical public space policy for “superblocks” that prioritize pedestrians and cyclists over cars, the City has reclaimed around eight hectares of motorways since March 2020.
Barcelona’s bike share system, Bicing, features 519 stations and is expanding its fleet with 1,000 new electric bicycles on top of the 2,000 already in operation. The City opted to convert its mechanical two-wheeled fleet using a transformative technology rather than acquiring new ones.
To combat theft, Barcelona has teamed up with a new start-up, VadeBike, an intelligent parking system for bicycles and scooters that allows batteries to be charged in addition to preventing theft. VadeBike’s 150 stations collect real-time data that can help inform the City about future needs.
Bicibox, launched this past July by the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), is a new safe parking system for bicycles now in 20 municipalities. With a faster and safer way to access the metro via 159 stations, it’s intended to help accelerate the modal shift away from cars.
Barcelona’s 72km Ronda Verda is a circular green corridor through seven municipalities with sign-posted bike paths that connect with the City’s vast cycling and public transit networks.
Barcelona is currently ranked 13th on the coveted Copenhagenize Index, but with its new cycling agenda might climb closer to its previous 3rd-place ranking in 2011.
