Barcelona will host the largest public transport congress in June, organized by the International Union of Public Transport (UITP). One of the most influential employers’ associations in Brussels has chosen the Catalan capital to gather for the first time after the pandemic more than 15,000 representatives of the sector from more than a hundred countries.
Do you consider public transport in Barcelona an international model?
Without a doubt, it is one of the leading cities in the sector and a reference for the rest due to how it has integrated the different means of transport. In addition, the space for bicycles and pedestrians stands out, both options are also means of transport.
So, what do we talk about when we talk about public transport?
Transport is no longer just the metro, tram or bus, but rather a combination of all of them, including shared mobility if it is public.
Most of the people who have switched to bikes and scooters used to travel by metro or bus, few of them went by car. Are the new modes of transport then allies or competition?
They are part of mobility. If you go from one point to another you will use different means of transport, and surely the first 200 or 300 meters will always be on foot. It depends on each trip and the availability of the place.
Are the restrictions on private vehicles an incentive for public transport?
Making a livable city always facilitates mobility. And for this you often need to give priority to components such as the metro, buses or the tram. It is the most efficient way to move a large number of people with few vehicles. And also, it reduces polluting emissions significantly.
The steps that Barcelona is taking in this direction in recent years have raised blisters…
You have to move on. It’s healthy to have some streets dedicated solely to public transportation. One of the best examples is Bogotá, in Colombia. It has been a great success for the mayor there, she won the elections by promising people that they could move faster from one place to another with streets open only to public transport.
The mask was mandatory on public transport in Spain until just a month ago. Has a sector been unfairly stigmatized?
The use of the mask as a protective measure was necessary at the time. Now we are back to life, we are recovering the passengers we had in 2019 and we must thank the mask for helping us continue our journey.
All public transport companies suffered significant losses from the pandemic. Do they consider the crisis over?
Transportation and tourism depend on the movement of people, and this has completely stopped. But transport cannot be dismantled or stopped suddenly, you have to continue providing service for health personnel, for example. It was very damaging financially.
And now the prices of electricity and fuel are increasing. What can they do?
This is the main challenge for the public transport experts that we are going to gather in Barcelona. We look forward to your inquiries and exchange of views. We must mitigate the high cost of energy, which makes life more difficult and more expensive. Let’s keep in mind that public transport must have an affordable price, otherwise it would be inaccessible to its users.
Renfe trains have temporarily become free. Is it a recommended option?
Germany also did it, with a nine euro note, and the conclusions of the impact are not clear. It is a one-time support, then they return to normal prices and the fixed costs remain the same.
Have the operators felt accompanied by the governments in this crisis?
It is different depending on the country. We have a very big world with a lot of differences.
The veto for diesel planned in Europe affects the bus and train fleets. Are you prepared for this future scenario?
All governments are called upon to do so. There is a lot of interest in moving towards electric buses to reduce emissions. It’s time to do it. Goals like Europe’s 2035 help here and there, perhaps in different ways, but with the same goal.
Are there universal solutions that work all over the world?
Countries are different, the topography is different, the financing systems are different. There is not something that works everywhere… Even so, we will see each other in Barcelona to cooperate and exchange experiences and successes.
