We have already entered the final stretch of the municipal elections on May 28 and the people of Barcelona continue to send their messages to the mayors through the Tu Opinión Cuenta macro-survey, which La Vanguardia has in operation coinciding with the elections to collect the opinions of its readers on the main problems of the Catalan capital and the present and future city model.
Among the issues raised, there are several issues that concern how the city should deal with the problem of pollution and how to achieve a healthier urban environment.
After having already collected close to 19,000 opinions, the Barcelonans who have contributed their point of view are clear: the majority ask for more measures against pollution, but, as things are right now, they reject options such as urban tolls.
In addition, they are aware that the Barcelona airport must be expanded, although the problem is how to do it without damaging the environment and without affecting the quality of life of the residents around this key infrastructure. On another front is the debate on how to control the pollution generated by cruise ships in the port of Barcelona.
When readers are asked the question of whether to establish restrictions on polluting activities in the city, a question illustrated with the image of cruise ships docked in the port, 69% think so.
On the other hand, a similar percentage (66%) is against the introduction of an urban toll to access the city by private vehicle, as is the case in London.
With regard to cruise ships, there is once again a clash in the economic activity model. While the mayor Ada Colau, now a candidate for BComú, demands to limit cruises in Barcelona already this summer, from the ranks of the candidate to recover the mayoralty, Xavier Trias, they consider that cruises give an “indisputable benefit” in income and reputation to Barcelona, ​​in the words of Damià Calvet, former president of the Port and now in the Junts candidacy.
The forecasts of the employers’ association of the cruise sector (CLIA) indicate that this year the record figures of 2019 will be reached, with almost 3.2 million visitors. Given this, the City Council claims to set a limit of 200,000 passengers per month and limit the arrival of cruise ships to a maximum of three per day.
The cruise sector, with Barcelona as a large Mediterranean port, will undoubtedly be one of the debates in the next legislature, not only on whether or not their number should be restricted, but also what measures are taken to make them less polluting.
In fact, the port of Barcelona will host next year the sixth annual summit of presidents and executives of the World Ports Climate Action Program (WPCAP), an international initiative with the aim of promoting the reduction of CO2 emissions in the port and maritime sector .
With regard to urban tolls, environmental associations see the implementation of the Low Emission Zone (ZBE) in the Barcelona metropolitan area as insufficient to significantly reduce environmental pollution.
For this reason they have come to demand that an urban toll of 4 euros per day be applied, but this measure does not seem to have enough consensus to be implemented. Above all, when in contrast, it is argued that Rodalies’ service should first be improved.
However, the Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB) has had this issue in mind for the last few years in its roadmap, but it has not yet materialized. The end of the concessions of various tolls such as the AP-7 in Martorell and the C-32 in the Maresme, was an element in favor used to implement the access tax to Barcelona. From Barcelona Global, for example, they have stated that it would be a measure that would allow a double objective to be achieved: the drop in traffic by up to 27% and, at the same time, the obtaining of income to finance public transport.
The third major workhorse for the next four years may be the expansion of the Barcelona airport. Six out of ten readers consider that it is a “priority”, but the problem that it entails is how to carry it out due to the environmental and technical factors that condition the options for developing the project.
In addition, any possible agreement to give more space to this infrastructure will require yes or yes the green light from the European Union. There are several proposals on the table, such as a fourth runway over the sea or an extension of the third runway on land. The involvement of special protection areas for birds (ZEPA), enclaves integrated into the European Natura 2000 network, requires authorization from the EU.
In Aena’s investment plans for the period 2027-2031, it is especially contemplated to allocate resources for the expansion of the Barcelona airport. From various sectors there is a demand to increase direct intercontinental connections from the Catalan capital, but there is also the debate on the environment and not only in relation to the protection of the protected areas of El Prat. In this sense, the mayor Ada Colau has proposed limiting flights on routes that can be done by train. Undoubtedly, the debate will continue beyond the May 28 elections.
