Motorcycle parking in Barcelona has become a major issue. Residents have filed 2,700 complaints about motorcycles parked on pavements in just nine months. This highlights a growing conflict between pedestrian space and two-wheeled mobility. The data comes from the city’s ‘Barcelona a la Butxaca’ mobile app. It shows an average of 300 reports per month.
Laia Bonet, the Deputy Mayor for Mobility, presented these figures to the Commission for Ecology, Urban Planning and Mobility on Monday. She noted that the actual level of dissatisfaction is likely higher. These numbers also do not include direct calls made to the Guàrdia Urbana (local police).
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Reclaiming the Pavements
The influx of complaints has sped up the City Council’s efforts to clear pavements for pedestrians. Since April last year, the city app has had a specific category for reporting poorly parked motorcycles. This lets officials map problem areas more effectively.
According to Bonet, the city’s plan to address this issue has already given good results. “We have freed up 18,500 linear metres of pavement surface,” she explained. This reclaimed area is about the size of 200 football pitches. To support this work, the council has put up 850 new signs. These signs clearly ban motorcycle parking in targeted zones.
The crackdown has focused on sensitive locations. For example, these are the areas around 296 schools and 29 hospitals. In these zones, the city has made 800 new on-street motorcycle bays. This gives riders a legal choice instead of blocking the walkway.
24,000 New Parking Spots
Fixing the shortage of legal parking is a key part of the plan. The City Council has promised to make a total of 24,000 new motorcycle spaces. This includes 20,000 on the road and 4,000 in underground car parks. As of September 2025, 5,000 of these spaces had already been built.
Studies are now being done in specific neighbourhoods. These include Poblenou, Sant Gervasi-Galvany, and the left side of the Eixample. Planners are looking to make new bays at intersections. They often take the place of car parking or move rubbish bins that block the view. This improves road safety and parking space at the same time.
A Cultural Shift for Riders
Beyond new parking spots, the council is asking for a change in rider thinking. Bonet stressed that the answer involves motorcyclists accepting they may need to park a bit further from their goal. They should not leave their vehicles right outside a door.
To help with this change, the city is using information officers in various districts. These officers guide riders toward legal parking options. The city is not just using fines. However, social media users keep sharing pictures of pavements blocked by motorcycles. This shows that enforcement is still a challenge.
The city has also started a ‘Motorcycle Observatory’. This group watches the reorganisation of parking and accident rates. It also helps the move to electric vehicles. The council has approved a €600 grant for residents. This is for those who buy an electric moped and get rid of an old petrol model.
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