Clean, inclusive public transport for Barcelona
A new public sector financing facility (PFF) from the CEB will help to improve Barcelona’s public transport system, enhance the city’s air quality and reduce inequalities by offering enhanced services to people living in the city’s poorer districts. Over 2.3 million people are set to benefit from the upgrades.
In March 2019 the Catalonian Regional Government, Barcelona City Council
and the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) agreed to renew the bus fleet of Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona
(TMB) with less polluting vehicles. It was a decision that was in line with
various public sector strategies aimed at improving air quality and public
transport services in the city.
TMB is now working to replace 254 diesel and first generation compressed natural gas buses with new electric and hybrid vehicles, and construct charging stations for electric vehicles. The cost of the project will amount to €135 million.
The CEB has agreed to part-finance the project with a public sector financing facility of €47 million, approved in March 2020. This type of loan facilitates the continuity of public sector investments and is well suited to cities and regions. The European Investment Bank will provide €68 million for the project, with the borrower providing another €20 million.
What are the benefits of the new buses?
The Catalan public authorities’ efforts to encourage the use of public transport has led to a drop in the use of private vehicles. However, these do still represent over one third of daily trips, which is well above the 20% rate in cities such as Paris or Budapest.
It’s important, then, that the new buses offer a safer, more enjoyable travel experience for passengers while reducing CO2 emissions.
The new buses are fully accessible for people with disabilities, offering ramps, reserved seating and special apps for blind people. Each bus has a capacity of 85-120 passengers, and provides reliable travel data. Various IT upgrades – including smart cameras instead of wing mirrors – promote safety and security.
Over 2.3 million transport users are set to benefit from the upgraded travel system, including many people in more vulnerable population groups. TMB offers subsidised fares for people on low incomes, the disabled, families, children, students and people over 65 years old. In fact, in 2019, 38% of bus trips around the city were made by people in these demographics. What’s more, 25% of bus users are over 60 years old.
Enhancing connections
Providing better connections is also key to persuading people to leave their cars at home and use public transport.
The project will help to connect Barcelona’s poorest suburbs with the central and business areas of the city. TMB operates three bus lines which connect Ciutat Meridiana with downtown Barcelona, 18km away, and with Barcelona’s hospital Vall d’Hebron. Ciutat Meridiana is one of the poorest areas of Barcelona with an annual disposable income per capita of €8,450 (Barcelona’s average is €20,000). This is below the €11,500 poverty line.
CEB funds will also help to make TMB’s H16 bus line the first zero-emission bus line, with a 100% renewables energy charge. This 13km line connects the industrial area of Barcelona (Zona Franca) with Sant Marti, the second most populated of the city’s neighbourhoods.
A successful working relationship
The CEB already has a successful working relationship with the City of Barcelona reaching back over five years.
In 2017 the Bank approved a €59 million loan, benefiting Barcelona’s public social housing organisation, Institut Municipal de l’habitatge I Rehabilitació de Barcelona. This loan was increased by €44 million to €103 million in 2021. Additionally in 2018 a €100 million loan was approved directly to the city of Barcelona to part-finance municipal investments.
“The CEB loan will support Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona to achieve its objective, namely, to have, 100% of new vehicles clean and 62% zero-emissions by 2024,” says Maria Sigüenza, Country Manager for Spain.
"We are very
grateful to CEB for its commitment with our fleet buses project to make
Barcelona's metropolitan transport use clean energy to improve the quality of
life in our cities," says Gerardo Lertxundi, the CEO of TMB.
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