Barcelona bike lanes on pavements pose a serious safety risk and must continue to be removed, the city’s ombudsman has concluded. The Síndic de Greuges, or Ombudsman, argues pavements must be kept free of obstacles that reduce space for pedestrians.

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They are the natural users of the space and should be prioritised above other mobility users.

Barcelona Bike Lanes: Key Details

Barcelona Bike Lane Safety Under Scrutiny The complainant warned of the risk where the lane passes from Alí Bei to Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes. They asked the Barcelona City Council to improve signage due to incivic behaviour from some cyclists and e-scooter riders.

Along this stretch, there are four bus stops serving six lines. The presence of exits from the Monumental metro station and the venue of the same name, which hosts concerts, adds to the pedestrian traffic and risk.

In response to the ombudsman, the council submitted a report. It argued the lanes were marked with ‘yield’ pavement signage near stops and a vertical sign directing bikes into the lane. However, this vertical sign only exists on one side of the road.

Officials also propose changing the ‘yield’ marking to a sign warning cyclists they are approaching a pedestrian area. They must exercise extreme caution and reduce speed. However, the municipal document states the district’s Mobility Board has already agreed to move the lane to the carriageway.

This aligns with the current local road safety plan, approved in September. That plan includes updating the cycle lane design manual and auditing road elements for safety. On the complained-about section of Carrer Marina, two accidents between cyclists and pedestrians were recorded in recent years-one in 2023 and another in 2024. However, in one case, the pedestrian was about 60 metres from a bus stop.

A Fatal Precedent and the Priority for Pedestrians The danger is not theoretical. In the same Dreta de l’Eixample neighbourhood, a fatal accident occurred in 2019. On Avinguda Diagonal between Bruc and Girona streets, a city Bicing bike hit a woman as she got off a bus.

The ombudsman stresses that pavements must be free of elements that take space from pedestrians. The risk of a bike lane at a bus stop access point is especially high for older people or those with reduced mobility.

In fact, this is a key problem that violates the right to accessibility and inclusivity. That’s according to the ombudsman’s latest annual report. However, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area already has a strategic accessibility plan for metropolitan buses.

In its resolution, the Síndic de Greuges concludes the council’s action regarding the design of the bike lanes in question has not been effective. Therefore, it calls for the modification of bike lane routes that run on pavements.

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