Barcelona is set for major disruption as Catalunya prepares to deploy around 4,500 police officers for the Tour de France Grand Départ on Friday 4 July, Saturday 5 July and Sunday 6 July. The Catalan government says more than 350 kilometres of interurban roads will close along the route.
For residents, commuters and businesses in Barcelona, Granollers and other towns on the course, the impact will be practical. Car access will be restricted in many areas, some bus services will change, and authorities expect very large roadside crowds as the race passes through 64 Catalan municipalities.
The security and mobility plan was presented on Friday by Interior Minister Núria Parlon and Sports Minister Berni Álvarez. The Mossos d'Esquadra said the operation will include about 900 officers from roughly 20 local police forces as part of the wider deployment.
The Generalitat's official Tour page says the race will cross 64 municipalities in Catalunya during the three opening stages. Government information also says more than 350 kilometres of interurban roads will be affected by closures linked to the race convoy and safety perimeter.
Anyone planning to travel on the affected days should check official notices before setting out, especially in Barcelona and Granollers, where race operations and security cordons will change normal access patterns. TMB has also published service alerts for public transport users, and Barcelona City Council has its own road closures and mobility plan.
Readers can also follow BARNA's coverage of local disruption and public safety on our Community and Sport pages. As of Friday's presentation, the confirmed plan from the Catalan government is a three-day operation combining Mossos d'Esquadra, local police and mobility controls for the Tour's start in Catalunya.
