participation processes have been successfully implemented, resulting in the emergence of social demands and greater cooperation among all stakeholders. Therefore Barcelona’s main contributions to the European ‘Cities of tomorrow’ could be summarized in these three domains: • • •
Improvements in access, social inclusion and urban regeneration policies; A shift to a more sustainable mobility; Implementation of participation processes48.
These broad policies have enabled the introduction of a wide range of good practices in social and urban cohesion which will be reviewed in this case study. Several of these actions – notably improvements in access, pedestrianization, promotion of bicycle use and participation processes - constitute singular and innovative experiences at this scale in the European context. Finally, the Barcelona public bicycle service (Bicing) will be analyzed as an example of a successful and sustainable mobility program which has been rapidly adopted by the targeted population.
3.
What are the main processes that are logically derived from the
challenge? The Barcelona City Council maintains that mobility is a fundamental right of all citizens, as it is necessary for social interaction and for human relations. Furthermore, it is considered as the 4th pillar of the welfare state (along with housing, health, and education-culture). The perception is that a person who cannot have effective mobility loses a social right. Therefore the City recognizes the right of all citizens to sustained and sustainable mobility.49 Access Improvement, Social Inclusion and Urban Regeneration Policies A. Access improvement Based on the fundamental right to mobility, a priority of the local mobility policies is to guarantee that any citizen can travel without difficulties along the public roadway and access the best possible means of transport to satisfy his or her mobility needs.50 It is estimated that access improvement directly benefits 30% of the population: in other words, not only people with reduced mobility (PRM) and the visually-impaired, but also the elderly, children, injured people, pregnant women, families with baby strollers, cyclists, etc.
48
Therefore, three of the four main objectives of the EC Cohesion Policy in its support to urban development (as cited in ACT’s technical proposal) have been successfully addressed in the Barcelona mobility experience, namely: promoting equality, social inclusion and urban regeneration; protecting and improving urban environment in order to ensure a sustainable development at local and global levels; contributing to good governance and to reinforcing local power. 49
The origin of the local concepts of social cohesion and sustainable mobility, according to Mr. Francesc Magrinyà, Professor of the Department of Urban Planning and Transportation at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and Head of the Urban Services Department at the Human Development and Cooperation Research Group, are developed in Annex IV. 50
“Associations of people with reduced mobility, of the visually-impaired, etc. have a voice in different committees in the participation processes with public administrations and transport operators. In some cases,” argues Mr. Ricard Riol, President of the Association for the Promotion of Public Transport, “it would be more cost-effective to arrange taxis or special transports, but the social demand prioritizes equality and autonomy.”
ACT Consultants – Good policies and practices to tackle urban challenges
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