Barcelona transport operator TMB and the Municipal Institute for People with Disabilities, the IMPD, have launched the second phase of their campaign, Put yourself in my shoes, not in my place. It is aimed at making sure reserved spaces on Barcelona’s buses and metro are used properly.
The campaign focuses on passengers who sit in priority seats, use lifts or stand in wheelchair spaces when they should not. Its new slogan, Behind the pictograms are people like me, uses real people to show the impact of that behaviour.
Laia Bonet, president of TMB, said the campaign is another step towards protecting the right to mobility for people with disabilities and reduced mobility. She added that accessibility and civility are priorities for TMB, and that the company works daily to make public transport fully accessible for everyone.
Marta Villanueva, councillor for Health, People with Disabilities and Strategy against Loneliness, and president of the IMPD, said some people can only use public transport if reserved seats, lifts or wheelchair spaces are available. She said giving them their place means respecting their rights and supporting coexistence in the city.
The campaign features four real protagonists, an older man over 65, a woman with a child, a young man in a wheelchair and a middle-aged woman using crutches. Two are TMB employees and two are members of the Amputats Sant Jordi association. TMB and the IMPD say the aim is to build empathy among metro and bus users, whether they take these spaces on purpose or by mistake.
The message will appear from today across screens in the metro and bus network, on public address announcements in the metro, on the TMB website and on TMB and Ajuntament social media channels. It will also be shown on bus vinyls, inside the underground network and through mailing lists. The campaign follows similar work launched in December and another awareness drive in 2023. For more on local transport coverage, see our Community and Sport pages.
Originally published by Barcelona City Council Press Room. Read original article.
