The Servei Català de Trànsit (SCT) has announced plans to intensify speed enforcement on Catalonia’s busiest motorway, the AP-7, following a worrying rise in fatalities in 2025. These measures, which include deploying six new mobile speed cameras, come in response to a year that saw 193 people lose their lives on Catalan roads, with the toll-free AP-7 identified as a persistent black spot.
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Figures from the traffic authority, reported by ABC Cataluña, show that road deaths in 2025 rose by two compared to the previous year. Of these, 17 occurred on the AP-7, a critical transport artery stretching along Spain’s Mediterranean coast. This figure marks the second-highest death toll on the motorway since its controversial tollbooths were removed in September 2021, a move that led to a dramatic increase in traffic volume, particularly heavy goods vehicles.
Deaths on the AP-7 sharply increased in 2025 from six recorded in 2024, although this figure remains below the 2022 peak of 24 deaths. This data underscores the motorway’s ongoing safety challenges, with crashes with injuries having previously risen significantly since it became free to use.
A Plan for Intense Control
To curb these alarming statistics, the SCT intends to formally declare the entire 344-kilometre stretch of the AP-7 within Catalonia a zone of “intense speed control.” In addition to this declaration, the traffic authority will introduce six new mobile radar units, known as carros radar, to enhance surveillance and deter speeding.
The focus on the AP-7 is stark when compared to other major routes. Its 17 fatalities in 2025 were more than double the eight deaths recorded on the A-2 and also surpassed the figures for the N-11 (11 deaths) and C-58 (9 deaths). For the C-58, which connects Barcelona with Terrassa and Manresa, officials are also proposing the installation of variable speed limit systems to improve traffic flow and safety.
A Wider Look at Catalan Roads
While the overall number of fatalities rose slightly in 2025, the SCT highlighted that the figure represents a 20% reduction compared to the pre-pandemic benchmark of 2019, when 242 people died in road accidents. The recent increase is largely attributed to incidents on interurban roads, which accounted for 144 deaths, or 75% of the total.
A demographic breakdown of the victims reveals several key trends. Men accounted for 114 of the 193 deaths, representing nearly 80% of all fatalities. The data also showed a significant 20% increase in deaths among people under 34, rising from 39 in 2024 to 51 in 2025. However, the 55-64 age group recorded the highest absolute number of fatalities.
Geographically, the province of Barcelona registered the most significant rise in road deaths, with an increase of 10 victims for a total of 69, a 17% jump from the previous year. Nearly half of these victims were motorcyclists. Elsewhere, Lleida saw one more fatality, Tarragona one fewer, and Girona recorded the same number of deaths as in 2024.
The persistent safety issues on the AP-7 have fuelled a wider debate about managing Catalonia’s transport infrastructure. Some business groups, as reported by Barna.News, have gone so far as to demand the return of pay-per-use highway tolls to alleviate congestion and improve safety. As authorities implement these new enforcement measures, they will be hoping for a swift improvement, especially after recent data showed that Catalonia’s traffic fatalities dropped sharply in January 2026, offering a more optimistic start to the new year.
