Bilbao decided a year ago to impose a speed limit at 30 km / h on all its urban roads. it’s about the first Spanish city of more than 300,000 inhabitants to take this step ; an initiative hailed by the European Commission, and which is bearing fruit in the areas of safety, noise and the environment.
Bilbao and its metropolitan region have undergone a profound transformation over the past thirty years. The city has replaced the gray of soot with that of titanium.
In addition to the pedestrianization of the entire old town and many shopping streets in the city center, local authorities have opted for the creation of increasingly sustainable public transport, including a tram, a metro and hybrid or electric city buses. Add to this a large network of cycle paths, and bikes available for hire to get around town.
“We have better air quality, therefore less pollution, less smoke, less acoustic impact“satisfied Alfonso Gil, Deputy Mayor and Councilor for Mobility and Sustainability.”We have lowered the sound impact from 2 to 3 decibels. And there are fewer accidents“.
This measure was accompanied by communication and public awareness campaigns. In April 2021, the city won the European urban road safety award ; an award that rewards remarkable initiatives carried out in 2020.Mönchengladbach, Lilienthal and Grenoble were also awarded for their actions in the areas of clean mobility, ecology and sustainable transport.
To consult: the website of the European Mobility Week
If “pedagogy” was necessary, according to Alfonso Gil, certain professions tried to resist these measures. Taxis, very concerned, complain that the traffic has slowed down and that they have to drive at 30 km / h on two-way roads, with no homes nearby.
In order to enforce these measures, several radars have been installed in the city; 29 others will be put in place soon, in particular pedagogical control cameras, which do not issue tickets, but which allow the speed of a motorist to be displayed on a screen in real time.
“Speed cameras are there to make people aware of whether or not they are within the limit“explains Amaia Arregi, assistant to the town hall and security advisor.”Either way, when there’s a speed camera, people usually slow down“.
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